Your Secret to Collect
by Tempest E. Dashon
Summary: Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr was not someone that anyone wanted to get close to or trust. He was known for being cold and ruthless and unyielding. That is until he meets one untamed and unafraid witch who enjoys watching his temper as she says anything she likes to him. Savior or Destroyer...he was not sure but he was determined to find out.
1. Chapter 1-The Journal

**Greetings everyone! I know…a new story again! I swear this is the last new one I have planned and really it was Moon's fault. It is her birthday on June 17****th**** and she asked me to write this story line for her and wanted to have the first chapter as her birthday present since she is all the way in England and mailed her anything would just be craziness from the states.**

**So with all my Sly-Girl love and hugs…here you go Moon! Happy Birthday and I hope the day and this weekend is so hella awesome for you. (I just gave her the definition to hella today lol).**

**Any mistakes are mine and as the time line is WAY before I was born and a good bit of Tom's story is put together from pieces, I am pretty must just free writing with the little bits I have or know. Anything that does not match up to something you may know…I'm sorry now. I did some research but decided I wanted to have creative freedom in what I did and how I did it as well. If any information about the 1920's to the 1950's is wrong…again was not born then and took what I could find on the net but really I am not a history major and never plan to be. This was written for the absolute fun of writing it for Moon and letting her fan girl over THE Slytherin himself.**

**Hope you enjoy it Moon and I hope everyone else who takes a look likes it as well. I will update this one as often as possible too.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr was not someone with whom anyone wished to fuck with. From the very beginning he was a truly creepy individual. As a baby he was never found crying or upset but was a perfectly well behaved infant. Growing up in the orphanage in his youngest years he was a complete loner, preferring his own company or that of a book over the treacherous children who lived at Wool's Orphanage with him.

The first time that his behavior was seen as dangerous or scary instead of just creepy and weird was the day Billy Stubbs had made the final mistake of continuing to pick on Tom and found his pet rabbit dead and hanging from the rafters of the ceiling. As Tom stood back with a malice smile on his face, Mrs. Cole and the other children got the first glimpse into what Tom Riddle may truly be. After that the other children were told to stay clear of him.

The second time that it was pretty clear that Tom was not an ordinary child was the day he had a bunch of snakes and squirrels chase Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop around the yard and attack them for calling him names. Though no one could truly prove that he had anything to do with the suddenly rapid animals, Mrs. Cole was convinced he was the devil's spawn and had to have caused it.

So with all of this and more in his past and with his lack of trust in anyone else but himself, Tom Riddle had at the tender age of ten made sure that he was so terrifying that no bully would ever put their hands on him or his things…again. However, it seemed as if someone had not taken his silent threats seriously. Returning to his room today, he had stepped on a board near his bed that had never been loose before but this time shifted and squeaked slightly under his feet.

Kneeling down to see what was causing the new noise, Tom discovered a hidden stash spot under the board. It looked to have been recently moved and disturbed as the dust inside was missing or smeared in places. Keeping a tight rein on his temper, he pulled out the wrapped object that was still in the hole and set the board back to rights, making sure that it no longer shifted or made any noise.

Sitting on his bed, Tom found himself now staring at the cover of what was obviously a journal of some kind. The cover was a beautiful, dark pressed leather or so he thought. With the bumps and ridges that seemed to be in the material, it was possible that it was made of snake or alligator skin as well. The cornered edges were pressed in with a bronze colored metal in the shape of a decorative triangle and little symbols were etched into the precious metal. He had no idea what the symbols were or what they meant but he could feel the magic radiating off of the object from where he sat.

Not sure what to do for once as he had always been the only source of magic that he knew about, Tom shoved the journal under his mattress and laid down to go to sleep. He really would need to think long and hard before doing anything with the journal. He had no idea what kind of trick it could be or even a trap. For all he knew, he could open the thing and it could suck his magic right out of him and make him just another ordinary kid. There was no way he was going to let some piece of leather and paper take away what made his so much better than everyone else.

Closing his eyes, secure in the decision he had made, Tom fell asleep with relative ease. He did not notice the magical hum that started to emit from the journal as the sandman took him away to the land of dreams.

Tom opened his eyes to find he was not in his room but was sitting in a forest leaned up against a very large tree. Sitting across from him was a young girl who looked like she might be in her mid-teens. The first thing to catch his eye though was her unusually wild and curly hair. He had seen many girls who had curly hair but none so untamed as hers. Her head was down as she seemed to be devouring a book with relish, turning the pages just as fast he did when he was reading.

Her clothing was also something of a mystery to him. Though women wearing pants and trousers were becoming a more common place thing as the years past, it was still not so common that you saw children doing it. Normally the female was rallying for women's rights in the workplace or she actually worked and therefore would wear trousers to keep her dresses nice. The shirt she was wearing however was another matter. It had no discernable sleeves to it so her arms were completely bare to his eyes. The front of it dipped so low that he could see the top of her breasts without any extra boost from a ribbon or tight material. Though the shirt did not seem to hug her form as tightly as some skirts he had seen the upper class women wearing recently, it was beyond indecent and had him shifting slightly with discomfort.

At his shifting the girl in question seemed to pause in her reading and then slowly lift her head to meet his eyes. For the first time in his entire life he saw an emotion in her eyes directed at him that he had never seen before…curiosity. He did note that her eyes were a very warm honey brown and that warmth seemed to not only be in the color but in her gaze as well. Shaking his head at that bit of non-sense, Tom gave her the darkest look he could muster up and pushed to his feet.

"Who are you? Where are we and how did I get here? What are you wearing and do you realize you look like a tramp?"

Instead of stuttering or shrinking back from him, the girl instead had the audacity to throw her head back and laugh…at him. His anger mounting, he clenched his fists to pull on that spark inside of him that he knew he could use to hurt those who hurt him. However, for some reason he felt nothing at all move or stir.

"Do sit down Tom!" The girl's voice was soft but firm as she marked her book and set it aside. Her tone was one of maturity and left little room to argue with.

"Your magic will not work here so stop trying to curse me in some juvenile way. For someone so brilliant and powerful, you really do have quite the temper and lack of control. If you want your questions answered then you will sit down and you will ask them nicely. Oh…and you will apologize for referring to me as a tramp you little cretin!" Crossing her arms under her breasts she watches Tom watching as the display of her breasts becomes even more distracting and finally he plops back down grumpily to the ground, crossing his own arms in anger and defiance.

Staring at her with daggers for eyes, he waits as he always does because he knows his menacing aura would bring her to heel. Only it seemed that was not the case with this girl. After only a few moments of the staring contest they were having, she shrugged as if she did not care one bit about his temper, picked up her book, and continued to read from where she had stopped.

Finding his temper disappear under his confusion, Tom looked more closely at the girl that seemed to have somehow invaded his dreams. Unlike his normal dreams, this one felt so very real. He could always tell when he was dreaming. He learned at an early age how to tell and how to change his dreams so that he was not stuck in one he did not enjoy. But this dream he seemed to have no control over what-so-ever. This meant he was either losing his touch on his own mind, or this girl was the one controlling the dream and therefore was quite real. Deciding if she was a threat or not needed to be his next objective then and so he cleared his throat to get her attention and complied for now with her wishes.

She paused in her reading to glance up at him; one eyebrow cocked up in what he decided was a condescending manner, waiting for him to say what it was he was going to say.

"You are correct miss. I seemed to have forgotten my manners in my confusion and anger. I apologize for calling you such a horrible name. Your manner of clothing is quite different from what I am normally around and I have heard the adults in my life say such things about women similarly dressed as you are. Can you forgive me my rudeness?"

Making sure his face displayed his supposedly contrite feelings, Tom made himself appear to relax as he leaned against the tree and crossed his legs out in front of him at the ankles.

Her small smile was one that held not only warmth but a touch of humor and he wondered what he had done to amuse her this time. Keeping his anger in check, he waited to see what her next move was going to be.

"Let me go ahead and start with this Tom. My name is not important at this time as it would be dangerous to tell you now or possibly at all. For purposes of our communication, you may call me HG."

"Like the author?" Sitting up a little more in intrigue, Tom makes sure to add the correct amount of caution but curiosity in his tone.

"Yes…just so. As I like to read many of his novels and I am a fan of reading in general that seems appropriate enough. I would have said call me Jane but that is a little too contrived even for me." Giving him another smile, she sets the book back down on her lap.

"As to where we are…this is a place I enjoy coming with my family on holiday. I will not give you the name just yet as it is a real place even in your time and I prefer to keep as much of myself and my life private until I think I can trust you more."

Taking in what she said, one thing stood out the most and being as quick as he was Tom decided to grab on to it and ask…even if she wouldn't tell him.

"Your time? Is it different than my time?"

Her grin could not be called anything else except a pride filled, mischievous grin.

"Good…you are as quick witted as they said you were. That will make my life so much more fun. Yes…my time. I am from the future…or more specifically…your future." Pulling her legs up to cross them, she adjusts the book on her lap and leans forward to rest her arms on her legs.

Scoffing at that statement, Tom rolls his eyes and then glares at her.

"I thought if I asked nicely you were going to answer my questions. You did not say you were going to lie when you did so…guess I should have asked for clarification of the definition of 'answer' to you."

"Did you know that you talk like an adult? Ever try being an actual ten year old kid for like five seconds? It would be good for you I think." Shaking her head and chuckling, HG stands up and brushes the dirt and leaves off the seat of her pants.

"Though I guess it will make it easier to talk to you as the years go by with you already being more mature in your speech then most of the teens my age as well." Turning to face him and walking over to hold out her hand to help him up, HG gives him a considering look.

"I didn't lie to you Tom. That is one thing I will never do. I admit now that I will withhold information…most likely information that as time passes you will demand to know. If I ever cannot or will not answer you, I will tell you that. I will withhold information I do not believe is safe for you to know at any given moment and you will undoubtedly be furious at me for it every single time but it will still happen. But the one thing I will never out right do to you is lie."

Looking back and forth from her out stretched hand to her eyes, Tom takes in her words and can taste the truth of them on his tongue. He doesn't know why just yet but he knows something about the magic making this dream happen also has the ability to show him the truth. Of course that could also be a lie to trap him into thinking she is telling the truth. Must stay on his guard as usual but he decides for now he will let her talk and see what else she has to say.

Reaching up he places his hand in hers, realizing that not only does she feel warm to the touch but that her hand is not much bigger than his at this point. Wondering if that means he is going to be tall and then wondering if his own father was tall, Tom lets her pull him to his feet.

"I know you will not believe me entirely even if the magic in the journal requires us to tell the truth, you will see in time that I am not lying to you and this is not some sort of trick or trap."

At his jerk of shock, HG gently takes his hand again and gives it a tender squeeze.

"I told you Tom…I know you. I know the way you think. I know the person you are, were, and will become. For instance, I know you are a parseltongue which is the word for your ability to talk to snakes. I know that you are always alone except for the snake you hide in your room that is your only friend. I know you can do wandless, intentional magic already even at such a young age and that you use your magic to get back at or hurt the other children in the orphanage who hurt you in the past. I also know the one thing you refuse to acknowledge even to yourself just yet."

Looking into her eyes to read her honesty as she lays out parts of his life for him, he sneers at her as he jerks his hand from hers.

"Oh and pray tell little know it all…what is it you know about me that I do not already know about myself. And what does a wand have to do with my magic?"

Giving him a sad smile and sliding her hands in her back pockets, HG turns and starts to walk through the woods.

"I didn't say you didn't know…I said you would not yet acknowledge it. That is the acknowledgment that not only do you hurt them but you like it…immensely. As for the wand…I will let that be the surprise it is meant to be soon."

Stopping in his tracks, Tom digs deep to think about that. He always believed he was justified in every single pain he heaped on those idiot orphans he had to share his life with. He had never truly considered that he enjoyed tormenting them. Closing his eyes he brings back the very moment Billy found his rabbit and then the moment Alice and Dennis took off running back towards the front door screaming and he comes to realize he did in fact not only think it justified but he did enjoy it. Their fear, their pain, their tears were like a lullaby that a mother sings to her baby to put him or her to sleep.

Opening his eyes he turns to face HG and nods.

"You are right. I had not acknowledged it because I had not truly bothered to see it that way. But I do enjoy it and I am not ashamed or sorry for that either." Standing to his full height, Tom waits for her to turn away from him in disgust too. When she only nods back at him and reaches out to take his hand as she starts walking again, his confusion returns and his reservations double.

"Like I said several times now Tom…I know…you. Not the one that you show to the parents who come to adopt a child. Not the one you let peek out when you are mad or hide when you want something and need to appear innocent. I know you Tom just as you are. You have no reason to hide from me here or if you ever decide to talk to me through the journal I left you. Even when you try to pretend to be understanding or sweet or nice or warm…I know better. With me you can be whoever you want to be. If you want to just be you with all your cold empty darkness, then do so. I will not turn away from you in fear or hate or disgust because I already know exactly who I am dealing with. Understand?"

Meeting his eyes, she gives him another warm smile that does something odd to his stomach. He nods at her and lets the mask of civility slide away. With his eyes staring back into hers with a blank emptiness, he stops walking and turns her by her hand to face him.

"If you know me and know what I am…why are you here?"

Tom waits quietly as he watches her eyes roam over his face in contemplation. She seems to be taking in his natural look and really looking at him which is not something anyone has ever had the fortitude to do before. Leaning down she places her lips gently on his brow before standing back up and smiling at his look of confusion.

"I am here to save you Tom…if I can…if you end up wanting it. If not…I am here to destroy you before you can end the world."

With those words echoing in his ears…or rather his head…Tom jerks awake in bed and gasps in a breath. Looking around the room, he took in that he is indeed alone and then throws back the covers to jump out of bed. Reaching under the mattress, he can feel the hum of the journal and the warmth of the magic radiating off of it. He discovers it fells a lot like the way her eyes seemed to feel in the dream and in that moment Tom made the decision that he would find out who she was and kill her before she ever had a chance to kill him.

Pulling out the book and opening it to the first page, Tom realized that the game was officially starting as he read the words that appeared in looping female script across the page.

_Hello Tom! Glad to see you finally stopped being such a coward and opened the journal. I look forward to all of the wonderfully conniving games I know you will throw at me to try to trip me up or get information you want. You are a master at manipulation but I am the Queen of time. Tell me…do you think you can win? Let's find out shall we?_

_If you ever want to talk or need to vent, I am here in the journal…waiting. If you ever want a face to face just place the journal under your head and close your eyes. Even if you aren't tired, I will sense your need and pull you to me. _

_I look forward to our future talks and to watching you truly work Tom._

_There will be an elderly gentleman coming to call on you in a few days. His name is Albus Dumbledore and he will be coming to give you your invitation to Hogwarts. He already knows all of your secrets…or he will the moment he meets you. He can read minds you see and he will read yours. This is something you will learn in the first few years at Hogwarts how to defend from but until then it will happen. He knows about the things you have stolen and why. Tell him before he can bring it up to you. Tell him you did it and tell him why. Tell him you are a collector and that you found joy and entertainment in collecting those prized things of the other children. Tell him that you did it because they have always been arseholes to you and you wanted revenge. _

_I know you won't want to do this and I know you are confused as to why I would tell you to do this. I know Albus from my time. I know who he is and how he thinks and what he will see about you if you open up to him like that. You will have an easier time convincing him to speak on your behalf to staying at Hogwarts in the summer time in the future if you show him now that you will be 'honest' with him. This part of my plan is not to help destroy you but to save you the pain of having to stay in that condemned place. _

_Someone with your power and your mind should not be stuck in a hell like that place. You deserve a grand castle and a grand library to read in and study in and become even more than you are in. Dumbles will help get that for you but you must play those cards in a precise way to win his favor. Trust me in this Tom…to begin with you want his favor._

_He will not be able to see or feel me. I made sure of that. No one around you will ever be able to read my words or feel my magic or see what we say to each other in your head. I am yours and yours alone Tom. Your little secret to collect and keep. _

_Until we meet again…_

_Yours,_

_HG_


	2. Chapter 2-The Visit, Letter, and Castle

**Hello fellow fanfictionatics! **

**I am back with the newest chapter of this wonderful little request given to me from Moon. It was hard to stop writing as the words just really seemed to want to be written today but I am trying to stick to my time line for this story so that I can have the beginning, middle, and end be where I want it to be. As it is, I do not see myself sticking fully to my outline but a girl can try.**

**Again any mistakes in the story from spelling to punctuation to time line are all my own. This story is being written for the amusement of my FF mentor and is not meant to be fully canon or perfect in any way to the era I am writing in or what may have happened that I don't know about. If you are looking for perfect accuracy, I will warn you this is not the story for that lol.**

**I was asked in a PM the other day if I had a play list while writing this one like I do 'Storm'. In a way I guess I do. I listen to the entire album by Breaking Benjamin entitled 'Ember' while I am writing it. The album is dark and heavy even for BB and it puts me in a Tom mood so that I can try to write him at least somewhat correctly for this story.**

**I am already working on the next chapter of "Storm'and 'Secret' so I should see you all again real soon. Until then...**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**PS-you may notice the difference in normal versus italicized in this chapter. I plan to write any journal entries from HG in italicized and from Tom in normal script. This way when they start to talk back and forth later you can tell the difference without me putting their names. Just getting you used to it now lol.**

* * *

Tom waited until the darkness had covered everything outside and the moon was high in the sky before he slid the journal out from the hiding place he had created for it and slid it under his pillow. Whether she was from the future or the present, she had not lied about the man that had come to see him today. He had been magical and he had read Tom's mind and even though he remembered her words, he did not follow her instructions. He could sense the man's power and his concern about the little collection of keepsakes Tom had and he wondered for the first time in his young life if he should have trusted what someone else told him to do.

Looking down at the letter in his hands, Tom could not help but let a grin form on his face, a gesture that felt very foreign to him. In the fall, he would not have to go to school with the idiots from this hell hole anymore. He would be going to a school for wizards and witches…a school filled with people like him. For the first time ever he found he was excited about something other than the revenge he would take on his enemies.

Lying down with the letter held in his hands across his chest, Tom closed his eyes and waited for the magic to take him to see HG. He wondered what information he could get out of her tonight if he played nice. Of course it really did not help to 'play' anything with her it seemed so maybe he would just be forthright and see where that got him. That was an interesting and intriguing concept in and of itself for Tom.

As the magic pulled him down into a state of relaxation and slumber, Tom wondered not for the first time why she had chosen him to save. Maybe he really was as important as he always believed himself to be.

* * *

Opening his eyes, Tom looked around him again. He was sitting in what was obviously a girl's bedroom. The walls were painted a pale lilac with white border trim. The sheets in the bed were the same color but were without any ruffles or frills like he had seen on the girl's dresses and furniture in the nicer homes he had spied on. There was a white dresser and desk situated in different corners of the room and the wall was covered with multiple book shelves filled to the brim with books. Getting up and walking over, Tom realized at once that he could not actually read the titles of the books at all. Taking one off the shelves and opening it, the pages were also blurred and unreadable.

"It won't do to try to read them. It is a fail-safe to keep future information from falling into the wrong hands. Anything written will be blurred to you unless I allow it to be seen."

Jumping at her voice, Tom drops the book as he jerks his body around to face the intruder. Growling at HG as he rights himself, Tom leans down to pick the book back up and slide it back into place.

"Do you make a habit of appearing out of nowhere and almost causing your guests to have heart attacks often?" Glaring at her and filling his voice with sarcasm to hide his pounding heart, Tom takes in her appearance again. Her clothing is slightly more modest this time as her pants are not as tight and her shirt actually covers her completely. Her face is still as smooth and free of makeup as before and her wild hair seems to have been wrestled into a messy ponytail at the back of her head.

Smiling at him and chuckling slightly at his question, HG walks over to the desk and takes a seat in the accompanying chair.

"Not usually no. I would not have thought I could catch you off guard as you must have intentionally come here to speak to me. If I had known you did not anticipate my arrival, I would have stomped louder coming up the stairs." Gesturing to the bed, HG waits on him to sit before leaning forward with her chin on her hands that are gripping the back of the chair, turning her body sideways in the seat and crossing one leg over the other.

"To what do I owe the magnificent honor of your presence tonight Tom?"

"I met your Dumbledore today and received my letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Puffing out his chest in pride, Tom gives her one of his rare radiant smiles.

For a moment it looks like she isn't going to reply at all and then her smile blooms slow and sweet on her face and causes Tom to have to blink and shake his head slightly to clear it of the fog.

"That is wonderful Tom. I told you that he would come and bring you something. Did he ask you about the items in your dresser? Did you tell him what I told you to tell him?" Sitting up in attention, her eyes never seem to stray from his face and for once Tom finds that to be uncomfortable. No one has ever willing continued to look at him, let alone meet him eye to eye for this length of time. He doesn't know why but it makes something inside his feel off.

"I did not."

"What! Why? I told you that that was going to be the first step to getting your way with him in the future and you just let that opportunity go? Damn it Tom! Now you are going to end up stuck at that damn orphanage every single summer until you graduate!" A frown marring her normally calm and smooth complexion, HG stands as she slaps her hand on the desk in obvious anger and pacing away from him some.

"I didn't think you were telling me the truth. He could read my mind but he seemed so pure and good. He was trying to be all smiles and warmth and understanding and I could not fathom that he would accept what I told him and still let me in to the school. I was not going to jeopardize attending a magical school to listen to some chit that claims to be from the future!"

Spinning around to glare at him, HG pushes a deep breath out of her nose before closing her eyes to reign in her own temper.

"You're right of course. You have no reason to trust me and probably won't until much later if ever." Opening her eyes to meet his, she sighs in obvious aggravation.

"Does not mean I am going to stop trying just yet with you. Everyone in your life has either been afraid of you or avoids you. I am going to do neither and one way or another I will show you that I am on your side if you will let me stand there."

"You forgot dies…"

Furrowing her brow and giving him a confused look, HG walks over to him and places her hand on his shoulder.

"Tom…your mother did not leave you on purpose. I know that you don't believe that and that you think she didn't fight hard enough to stay with you but she would not have lived no matter if she had made it to a hospital or not. She was very sick and having a baby made it impossible to get better. She could have gotten rid of you in order to save herself but she didn't. Your mother loved you very much and wanting nothing more than to see you born and be here for you. She just wasn't able to get past the sickness. It was already killing her before you came along."

Sneering at her sentimentality, Tom shoved her hand off of his shoulder, stood, and walked across the room and away from her.

"I am done with this part of the discussion. Tell me about Hogwarts!"

Shaking her head in sadness, HG sits on the edge of the bed before seeming to make a decision and lays back completely, throwing her legs up on the bed shoes and all to relax. Sliding her hands under her head, she smiles a gentle smile staring up at the ceiling.

"It is wonderful and magical and for those of us in the muggle world…it is a breath taking site. The lights and the creatures and the castle all seem like they were pulled directly out of all the fairy tale books. The professors…at least in my time…all seemed larger than life and so full of light and personality. Well…all except for one. He was this great towering darkness of a man. I admit at 11 he terrified me and yet all I wanted to do was get his approval. He the most exacting professor there and ended up being the one I admired the most." Seeming to become almost melancholy, HG shook her head and turned it to look at Tom.

"The feasts are so ridiculously large that I wonder what they do with all the food not eaten. The classrooms are so normal and yet not. The classes were my favorite part of the day and there is so much to learn and take in that 7 years never seemed like enough to do it all." Grinning at him, she sits up in her excitement.

"Then there is the library. Shelves upon shelves of books to read and learn from and explore with no end in sight. Everything you could ever want to know about magic, its history, new spells, the creatures and places…it's all right there at your very finger tips. I spend so many hours in that library just absorbing any and everything I can as fast as I can."

Her very excitement seemed to be contagious and Tom could feel his energy start to rise to match hers and he tried to imagine what a library full of knowledge like that would look like. Letting one thing she said sink in, Tom leaned against the wall and just looked at her.

"You said you spend…as in present…are you at the school now then?" Raising an eyebrow as if he had caught her finally, his lips turned up in a smirk of triumph.

Rolling her eyes and giving him a smile, she leans back on her hands and cocks her head to the side to meet his stare.

"At the very present moment for me, I am at home on holiday break…Christmas to be exact." Gesturing around her room, she rests the hand back on the bed.

"However, I return to Hogwarts in three days to resume classes for the spring semester. I am a 5th year student at the school in my present time."

His smirk slipping and his frustration growing, he glares at her and crosses his arms.

"You are really going to keep up this charade that you are from the future and not in the here and now somewhere?"

Watching her expression turn contemplative, Tom waits to see what rubbish she will say next.

"Okay Tom…it seems I will have to be more precise in how I prove that part then."

Sitting up and placing her hands in her lap, HG gives him a smile.

"This is going to look odd and I am not ignoring you. I will be right back."

Before he has a chance to say anything else, he watches her eyes go blank and her body almost freeze in place. Keeping a close eye on her, he counts several minutes of time passing as her chest neither rises nor falls in breath and her eyes never blink. Just as his patience starts to wear thin and his skin starts to crawl from the creepy lack of life in her face, HG takes a deep breath and seems to come back into herself.

"Okay Tom…I have found what I needed. When you wake, there will be several dates and events written in your journal. These are things that will happen in the near future for you. That is the best I can do at this moment to try to at least prove that part of my story to you. If that is not enough, I am not sure anything will be and I will just have to leave you thinking I am lying. I will not go in circles with you trying to prove my every word. Either you will learn to accept what I say as truth on my part or I will continue on my path to trying to enlighten you and you will continue to ignore me because you refuse to see the truth. I cannot do more than that."

Her frustration bleeding into her words, HG waves her hand and Tom is suddenly back in his bed in his little room with the letter clutched to his chest. Sitting up he reaches under his pillow and pulls the journal out. Flipping it open to the second page, he reads the next entry and scrunches his forehead as he considers what she has provided. He would need to find an adult on these particular dates to confirm. If what she wrote proves to be true…he really would have to reconsider his position that she may not be lying to him after all.

_Tom,_

_Your speculation and lack of trust is going to make this so much harder on the both of us. All this back and forth about lies and your mistrust is going to slow any progress down for a friendship or even just being able to talk without you aggravating me or me aggravating you. Hopefully the events listed below will help clear up one disbelief and help move us towards at least some understanding with each other._

_These dates are events that have yet to happen for you but will happen between now (your now not mine) and the day you leave for school. I trust you will be able to find a way to confirm these days and events yourself. Until you get to school, the journal will no longer allow for a face to face visitation. I will not reward you with a person to talk with if you will not at least afford me the courtesy of trying to believe. I will speak to you once you have gotten settled into Hogwarts. Until then, if you need to talk, feel free to write to me in here. I will respond as I can._

_Yours,_

_HG_

_July 10-Howard Hughes will fly around the world in 91 hours_

_July 18-Vladimir M Kirshon, Russian playwright, will be executed at 35_

_July 20-Finland will be awarded the 1940 Olympic Games after Japan withdraws_

_July 31-Gino Bartali of Italy with win the 32__nd__ Tour de France_

_August 7-Nazis close theologic department of Innsbruck University_

_August 24-England beats Australia by an inning and 579 runs at The Oval_

_September 1-Benito Mussolini cancels civil rights of Italian Jews_

_PS-I think this covers enough different topics to make it an adventure to find sources to answer them all. Safe travels in September and I hope your first train ride to Hogwarts is eventful. I look forward to hearing about it._

* * *

July 22

HG,

I am shocked to admit that you were right and telling the truth all along. I ended up using the library and getting random muggles to buy me a newspaper or tell me if the certain events happened…and they all did. At first I thought maybe you just had the right people to tell you when these events were supposed to be reported but then I realized that unless you are a very powerful seer (which I am still holding as a reserve opinion) you really are from some point in the future.

I want to know how far into the future. What all do you know? Who wins this ridiculous war the muggles are fighting? Will Germany end up owning all of Europe? When do we meet in the flesh instead of through this journal?

I have a feeling you will not answer a single one of those questions and it is already driving me spare! You did warn me you would not tell me everything and that it would anger me. I think I will go ahead and be angry now so that when I see you again I will have gotten past it and can try to charm the answers from you instead.

You said that you know me and that you know the darkness that lives in the walls of my skin. Did you also know that I can be quite the charmer when I chose to be? I do charm snakes and they are known to be one of the coldest blooded creatures in the world. Shouldn't be too hard to charm such an emotionally driven witch as yourself to come to care for me and tell me all your secrets.

You told me you were with me to either save me or destroy me. Well now I will confess something equally as important as that. I am now going to decide to trust you so that you will come see me. Why you ask? So that I may own you! I originally intended to find all I needed to know so that I could kill you and make sure you were not a threat. Now I have decided I wish to collect you as mine and so I shall.

Beware witch for we both have now been warned. The game is a foot and I plan to be the winner of this war. Prepare my lady for you will…be…mine!

Forever,

TMRJ

* * *

_Tom,_

_I admit that at this very moment, as I have just read your journal entry, I am laughing hysterically. Before you get your knickers in a twist…I am not laughing at you but at the absurdity of your claim. If only you knew how I know you and what you have done in my life time you would know that owning me or making me yours in any way is not possible. I am HG the uncharm-able witch but I invite you to try anyway. I do so enjoy a charming wizard and if he is also intelligent then that is so much better for me._

_As for all of those answers, you are right I will not be answering them…yet. I can say that when the time is okay to do so, I will answer some of them before they happen so that you have more proof as we go in the future. I wouldn't want you to suddenly think I am a seer and not genuine in my intentions. If you knew me…again…you would understand the grimace/sneer I am wearing at just the idea of a seer. I think divination to be absolute rubbish and truly cannot stand the class. But to each their own I suppose. _

_My housemate says that it is because I have no true creative imagination and I am too logical and stuck in the mud to be able to fully comprehend or appreciate the subtle art of divination. Now let me point out that those words she stole from one of our Professors and he does NOT teach divination and I think abhors the subject just as much as I do. He was referring to another field of magical study when describing it as a subtle art but as my housemate is a complete vapid bimbo…who can truly count on her to come up with her own descriptions._

_Yes I am sure by now you can tell that like you I see myself as smarter and better than other people. The truth is in most areas that matter to me…I am. Of course to the general populace of dunderheads…I am too brainy and too swotty and my know-it-all attitude drives them batty. I cannot help that I enjoy learning and that I get extremely bored when I am sitting idle. I heard you were the same way in school…a book in hand learning anything there was to learn. _

_It is the biggest reason I agreed to be the one to come to you. I am tired of being so alone in my search to be smarter, greater, better than I already am. One can never stop improving oneself and I find that anyone who thinks they do not need to learn anything but the basic information to get by is wasting their lives and the greatest gift granted to us…our ability to learn and then adapt. How are we to be great 'anythings' if we refuse to first see where we are lacking and change it?_

_I really should be going. My friends are all bothering me to go outside for the Quidditch match and I fear I have no option but to go with the plebeians and make nice. I will admit I am looking forward to and will be waiting on your next entry._

_Yours,_

_HG_

_PS-No Germany does not end up owning all of Europe. _

* * *

Tom sat on his new bed in the Slytherin common room and listened to his dorm-mates chat about everything from the train ride to the school, the boat ride across the lake, the professors they would have this year, their time table, the food, and even the other students. Not a single one of them bothered to talk about the classes themselves or the magic they would be learning. He could already see what HG meant and he had not even bothered to really speak to any of them at present.

Some of his housemates had already introduced themselves and he did as well. It seemed his last name was cause for jeers and the peasants had the audacity to look down their pampered rich noses at him. He was already making plans to teach them who was really the most powerful one in this room but would have to let some time pass before he did. Until then, he was silently hoping that HG would be willing to give him a hint at what to do to be more accepted by his peers. The last thing he needed was to hurt one of them with his magic because they did not come to heel fast enough and be thrown out of Hogwarts.

Finishing the chapter he was on in his Transfiguration book, a book he had already read completely the week he was able to buy it in Diagon Alley, Tom marked his spot and placed the book on his night stand. Pulling the journal from his satchel and placing it under his pillow, Tom found an odd feeling come over him. He hoped she would be true to her word. He was here in the castle as she required and after many small entries back and forth where he learned nothing and yearned to know more, he hoped she would show tonight and he could look at her instead of her lettering. He didn't know why but he needed to see her face and make sure she was really…real.

Getting comfortable, Tom lay his head down and closed his eyes. Taking deep, even breaths he waited. Eventually he fell asleep with a frustrated feeling in his chest that she would abandon him yet again.

His eyes snapping open at the brush of a page turning in a book, Tom sat up in bed to meet the eyes and warm smile of his HG.

"Hello Tom. How was your first day at Hogwarts?"


	3. Chapter 3-The First Night

**Greeting and Salutations!**

**I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up. This week has been a nightmare at work and I have had very little time to do much of anything. The one day I did have time, Moon sent me a link to a story that just grabbed me before I had time to know what was going on and kept my attention the entire 67 chapters. I lost sleep on that one too which is never good since I enjoy my sleep lol.**

**Any and all mistakes are mine of course. The world is JKR's and I am just sunning myself here on one of the magically warm rocks. Can't blame a snake for taking a pause in such a warm and wonderful world.**

**I am working on 'Storm'and though I had planned to update it first, I got stuck on which part I wanted to do next so I figured I would update this one while I decide in which direction I want to address first in the other drama I have stirred! **

**Hope you all enjoy this little filler of Tomione fun and I will see you all next week!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

"Hello Tom. How was your first day at Hogwarts?"

She looked different in some way. He could not quite put his finger on it at first and then he realized it was her hair. This time it was not wild and busy and untamed but had been pulled back into a tight braid and only a few tendrils were escaping to wisp around her face.

Distracted by that he answered with the first thing that came to mind.

"It has been not very welcoming so far but I will handle that in due time…what did you do to your hair? I don't like it. Take it down!"

Reaching forward without really thinking about it, Tom pulled the tie that was holding her hair in place off and threw it over his shoulder to land forgotten somewhere behind him.

Huffing at him as she tried to snatch the tie back, HG glared and wrapped her hand around the braid to keep it in place.

"You know it is considered rude to just go around pulling out the tie in a girl's hair and telling her how to wear it. I happen to like my hair tied back and out of my face Tom!"

Flicking her wrist another tie appears and she reaches back to secure the end of the braid again. Before she can, he reaches forward and yanks the tie away from her and throws it too.

"Damn it Tom…stop that!"

"No."

Sliding up to his knees until his smaller frame is towering over her he reaches behind her as she freezes with wide eyes and slaps her hand away from her hair. With a gentleness he was not even aware he had, Tom undoes the braid layer by layer until her hair falls in wild curls around her face again.

Sitting back he takes in her pale cheeks and her wide eyes and the way her uneven breaths are causing the hair near her mouth to flutter and gives her a charming smile.

"You have avoided a face to face with me for months. I wanted to see the beautiful witch I first met with the untamed hair…not some facsimile of her with perfect hair. I am already surrounded by girls who look perfect from head to toe and they are all stuck up bitches. I will not have you look like one of them and give me reason to form a comparison between you and them."

Watching her eyes slide closed before opening again with curiosity and a hint of annoyance, Tom frowns at her and gestures in her direction.

"I don't know who you let fix your hair and make it look that way but in here I want you to look like this. You said you were my secret…my savior…and if you are then you should look the part as I see it."

Blinking a few times, HG seemed to be regarding him in contemplation before she gives a slight nod of acquiesce.

"There is no point arguing something so trivial. If you wish for me to come here with awful hair then I will. I can't say that I understand but it isn't like that is a hard request to grant. Though calling me beautiful is putting it on a bit thick Tom. Now why was it so unwelcoming today?"

Her eyebrows drawing down in worry and confusion, HG leans back on one of the posts at the end of his bed and stretches out her feet in his direction.

"We will address that comment later Hg. It would seem that my muggle last name has made me beneath the notice or care of my house. The few who introduced themselves to me sneered or looked like they had smelled something rotten when I told them who I was. They say half-blood like it is some kind of incurable disease. What is a half-blood exactly?"

Watching the anger play out across her face, Tom sits back and mimics her position on the opposite post, letting his shorter legs rest against hers.

"It is one of the many issues the wizarding world has both in your time and in mine. Families that are made up of all wizarding folk, also known as purebloods, think they are superior to everyone else because they have no muggle ancestry in their bloodlines. The purebloods have to have like 300 years of no mixing of blood to be considered pure or something. I am not sure how it all works or the real rules to who is pure or not because I am not one and not privy to that information."

Rolling her eyes she crosses her arms, the annoyance is plain in her voice and on her face and Tom wonders if she knows how much her emotions give away…not that he will tell her that. It is one advantage he can have in this game they play.

"A half-blood is just that…half magic and half not. It means one of your parents was a witch or wizard and one was not. A muggleborn is a witch or wizard who has non-magical parents. The purebloods hate them the most. They have this stupid theory that a muggleborn, or mudblood as they call them, is a witch or wizard who at birth stole the magic from a pureblood and rendered that pureblood a squib. If they took any time to really research it at all instead of just making something up so they can have their prejudices, they would see how idiotic they sound. But….that is a conversation for later on if you decide it matters at all."

Running her hand through her hair and grimacing as she pulls on a tangle, HG huffs and rolls her eyes again before giving up and laying her head back against the post.

"I take it since you don't know all the rules to it that you are either a half-blood like me or a muggleborn then?"

Her eyes meet his for a moment before she sighs and closes her eyes.

"My luck…this is going to set any progress I make with you back in a few years but I swore I wouldn't lie to you and to not answer seems asinine. I am a muggleborn. Both of my parents are muggles and as far as I have found there is no written history in my family about magic for the last 5 generations. Some of the theories I have heard is that we come from squibs that leave the magical world and marry muggles. The magic is dormant in them and eventually can manifest in their lineage later."

"Another theory is that magic is a more sentient force then say gravity or the weather. So when bloodlines start to get too tangled up, magic selects new blood and gives it magic so that new bloodlines can be introduced into the world."

Shrugging she picks at his comforter as she bites on her bottom lip.

"If they were from squibs, wouldn't there be a magical history to follow?"

Sitting up in interest, Tom crosses his legs and leans his elbows on his knees so he can rest his chin on his hands.

"Most likely not. Squibs are considered a disgrace on any family they are born to. Most are killed at birth to hide the defect…or at least used to be. I am honestly not sure if that is still a practice or not."

Looking pale and horrified at the thought, HG rubs her hands down her pants legs before continuing her explanation.

"Those that are not killed are disowned and given to orphanages as unwanted children. Others lose their name and have to take on a new one but are raised in the house as servants. The ones who leave the wizarding world are not allowed to tell anyone where they come from or their history and are not allowed to claim the wizarding family they are from. So any information gets lost as the squib leaves the magical world. It's sad really because it's possible I am related to one of the pureblood families distantly and I would never know nor would they count it."

"Is this a big issue in the magical world then?"

Watching an overwhelming sadness bleed into her eyes and along her face before she takes a breath and shakes off her melancholy, Tom wonders to himself exactly how bad it has to have been for her to look so upset about it. There was no way he would ever allow any of his pathetic dorm mates to treat him badly enough to cause that kind of sorrow in a normal person. He would put an end to this prejudice against his blood…very….soon.

"It is one of the major issues of the wizarding world. All others stem from that and move outward. Magical creatures that are intelligent are treated as servants and sub-human. Witches and wizards who are not from the proper families are looked down on no matter how smart or powerful they truly are. It is a waste of time and of talent to ostracize people that way and the war in your time is going to prove that in the muggle world. But prejudices are alive and will always be there. When one is solved, another rises. It is the nature of the beast…or humans rather. Animals are surprisingly much more tolerant even in their violent kingdoms."

Sitting back again, Tom let this all settle in as he contemplated how he was going to deal with his new 'friends' and their little issue with his heritage. It would not do to allow them to see him as weak from the start. They would be a lot harder to control later on it he did not set the ground rules now for who he was and what he was capable of doing. Glancing back up, he meets HG's eyes as she was obviously watching him lost in thought.

"You had a very dangerous frown there Tom. Want to share your thoughts or should I guess?"

Deciding to see how much bravado she truly had, Tom moves his body so that there is space beside him and looks back up at her. Gesturing with his hand he motions for her to move so that she is sitting next to him instead at the other end of the bed.

Raising her eyebrow at him, her lips turn up in a smirk as she sighs and moves around until she is sitting shoulder to shoulder with him, legs stretched out along the bed and their bodies touching along one entire side.

Turning his head to look at her, he really studies her eyes and her breathing. Other than seeing an almost challenging glint in her eyes, he finds not one hint of discord.

"You really and truly are not afraid of me are you?"

Taking her time to answer that question, HG reaches over and takes his hand and starts to trace the lines on his palm with her finger.

"No Tom I am not at all afraid of you. In this book…in my magical creation…I control everything. From the magic and the environment, to when the session starts and ends, I control every little detail that you see and hear and feel. In here I have no reason to be afraid of you." Looking down and examining his hand, he watches something haunting cross her eyes.

"What about outside of here? If we were to meet on the streets, would you be afraid of me then?"

Turning his body to face her fully, Tom takes her hand into his and turns it over to trace the same lines as she did.

"Do you truly want me to answer that Tom? I promised I would not lie to you and so I won't. Be sure when you ask a question that you truly wish to have the answer. I will not be responsible for your temper when you don't like what I have to say."

Pulling her hand free, HG turns as well to face him more, tucking her legs beneath her.

"Yes…I truly want to know." Holding his breath to try to keep his temper in check he waits to see what she will say.

"If we met on the streets…right this very moment or at this very moment in my time…I would either try to escape the vicinity or I would try to kill you."

"You wouldn't even try talking to me first?" His brows drawing down in the beginnings of anger, he clenches his hands to try to alleviate some of the anger he feels building.

"If I were to meet the future you that I know in my time then no I would not attempt to talk at all. There is no point to try to talk to him…you…now. If I met this you that I am staring at right now…I don't know…honestly. By nature I am not a violent person but you are not a nice person in the future…and that is putting it very lightly. You are not a nice person now at the young age of eleven but you only grow worse as you grow older."

"So what are you are saying, that I am so powerful and scary in your time that people would rather run screaming from me or try to kill me instead of talking out the issue?"

Looking up to meet his eyes, HG licks her dry lips before answering and Tom finds himself fascinated with the movement.

"Yes Tom…that is what I'm saying. In my time you are a monster and everyone including those near you, are terrified of you."

Giving her a very dark smile, Tom leans back with his own hands behind his head and his feet crossed at the ankles.

"Good…it means I will have these idiots in line sometime in the near future and won't have to worry about their idiocy anymore. Thanks for that HG."

Hearing her scoff at him, he turns his eyes to look at her. She has leaned back against the headboard and tilted her head back with her eyes closed.

"That is not the way to go about helping me help you be saved you little shit! That is the exact thought process that is going to be your downfall…"

Sitting up and yanking her to face him, his eyes burn with buried rage as he puts himself nose to nose with her.

"What do you mean my downfall?"

Knowing he is losing his control but unable to stop it, Tom grips harder on her arms and watches her wince before her face smooths over again.

Smirking at him and making him feel almost like he is looking into a mirror at one of his own expressions, HG flicks her fingers in his direction and Tom is suddenly falling out of his own bed and onto the floor with a thud. Just as he hits, his eyes fly open and he sits up in bed, his rage doubling as he realizes she kicked him out again.

Snatching the journal from under his pillow, Tom opens it to the next available page and there in her beautiful script is a new message forming right before his eyes.

_Tom,_

_To say I'm disappointed in what just happened would be too contrived at this point. Knowing who you are and how you react, I guess I expected deep down some sort of violent reaction at every turn and I even knew that it would probably turn physical in some way at some point. I guess I just pushed it so far back that it surprised me for a moment._

_I am starting to think that face to face is just not the way to interact with you at this time. You are known for your unending control but it seems that is not something you have developed yet. I may be in charge of the magic in the journal dreams but that comes with a price and its one I am not willing to let you get away with exploiting._

_So for now I will only converse with you in written word again. The last few months have been a surprisingly enjoyable time for me. You have a very brilliant mind and I find myself drawn to our debates on magical theory and practices. I was looking forward to having those talks face to face as well. Maybe in a few years we can get to that point. What little trust I had put in your ability to be civil even if it was a cold civil was broken tonight._

_I will warn you in this Tom. I am not some beaten or easily cowed female. I will not allow you to put your hands on me or hurt me in any way. If you persist in grabbing me or causing pain in the future, our association stops…completely. _

_I will not be treated like some possession you can do with as you please. I know that is how you will start to see me since you have very little time for anything that doesn't 'belong' to you but that will not happen. If you cannot treat me like a person and respect me as one then this is all for nothing and I will fade back to blank pages and the silence you had grown used to at the orphanage. _

_You decide Tom and you let me know where you stand. The next time it will be you who returns with bruises forming…not me!_

_HG _

With a growl of displeasure, Tom slams the journal closed and pulls his arm back to throw it as hard as he can before catching himself and setting it firmly down on his night table. It would not do to damage the one piece of magic he has that may help him control the future. He really was going to have to get this famous control she seems to think he has. If he can't keep her close, he is never going to be able to charm her into giving him what he wants.

Vowing to start looking up magical ways to control his emotions, he slides the book back under his pillow just in case she changes her mind and settles himself in for the night. Tomorrow was a new day and it was time to start finding this powerful and controlled wizard that HG was talking about. It would not do for him to not become the powerful entity she seemed to fear. It did settle nicely with his future plans to be feared as much as respected. How else were you to rule the sheep beneath you?


	4. Chapter 4-Compromise

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know...I know...I am shocking you right now with an update for both stories in one week. I have been in the mode for writing so I took advantage of that. I have the next chapter already brewing in my head for both so I may just keep on writing today and see if I can get another chapter up before the end of the day or the week. With the holiday, it may be impossible though. I am not sure I will be coming in to work Friday and I know I will not be here Thursday...so we will see.**

**For those in America...Happy Independence Day and I hope you all have a bright and spectacular fourth of July. My daughter Jewels has a thing with her ears that takes too long to explain but the fireworks always hurt her ears so we will be avoiding that this year and instead we will be binge watching season 3 of "Stranger Things"! Any fans out there for the show this is my shout out and crazy fan girl wave! Hope you all will be joining us in watching what they do next and I look forward to all the crazy posts that will happen on my social media accounts once everyone catches up lol.**

**A big thank you to all of my followers and reviewers who have kept me not only motivated to write but let me see that what I write is worth reading enough to have followers and reviewers. It melts my little cold Slytherin heart all to mush! You guys make me feel like a Hufflepuff sometimes!**

**I want to send a special thanks to Moon who is always there to help when I am stuck on a spot or need to talk out an idea or plot issue. I am very happy to have such a wonderful mentor and friend who shares my love of fanfiction and Harry Potter. Make sure to check out her fics if you have not yet done so. She is fantastic. You can find her under my favorite authors (Acantha Rayne Oak-Moon). She just posted a new one that I am in love with already yesterday called "Are you okay?" We share a love for the misunderstood snakes and she always gives great fluff lol.**

**Enough of me rambling on and on. Hope you all enjoy this chapter and know that time is going to start speeding up as I had no plans to write an 11 year old Tom Riddle for long. Must get him to the correct age to have loads more fun with the pair.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom dropped his satchel on the library table and blew out a long breath as he slid into one of the chairs. It had been two months…two long months of getting the cold shoulder from his house mates, having to listen to them drone on and on about who was who and the lifestyle of the rich and purest.

The females in his house were all empty-headed sycophants who could not be trusted to make their own decisions but could be expected to fawn all over the few sacred twenty-eight male heirs as if they were gods among men. They made Tom sick to his very core and made him appreciate his conversations with HG even more.

The males were not much better. If they were not smiling some sickening smile at the cooing sycophants, they were boasting about their money or prestige and being utterly prat-ish about everything. There had even been a few times when he had considered teaching those idiots a lesson or two in manners and allowed HG to talk him out of it. She said it wasn't time to let them see his power just yet and that he needed to learn a better way to gain followers then through fear. Though, when he questioned her further, she would not elaborate on that subject just yet.

Thinking of HG only made his aggravation worse. Though he had enjoyed the intellectual stimulation that conversing with her afforded him, he wanted to actually talk to her. Having to try to write his thoughts, even with his new charmed quill, took too long and still did not have the ability to keep up with his mind or his dictation. He found he had to go back multiple times to correct something, add something, or slow down as he talked so that the quill could get it all.

Keeping to her word, she had not come to him at all in his dreams even though he slept with the journal under his pillow every single night. He had not agreed to any of her terms as of yet nor did he want to give in and do so in the future. In holding out the way he had, Tom came to realize she was not only as smart as him and most likely very close in power and ability…she was also as stubborn in getting her way as he was. He was beginning to see that there may be no other way to get her back in front of him except to give her what she wanted…compromise…his compromise. That thought really did sit like a splinter under his skin irritating him.

Pulling out his charms work, Tom attempted for several hours to concentrate on the topic at hand and found his mind or more so his eyes wandering to the journal that sat heavy in his bag. After several more attempts, he groaned in frustration and pulled the journal out. Opening it up to the next available page he put his quill to parchment for an entirely different reason.

HG,

This is really starting to become bothersome. We could talk so much better if you would just lift the ban on face to face. Every night as we leave you say that you have enjoyed the conversation and yet you avoid talking to me in a way we could talk so much more. I don't understand this reluctance on your behalf…

_Not to be rude and interrupt but that is what I am going to have to do. Yes you do understand it you just refuse to acknowledge it and agree to my terms. I do enjoy talking to you and I would prefer to talk to you face to face because YES we could say so much more in a shorter amount of time but you have not agreed to my request…_

You're right that was rude. I didn't know you could just interrupt me like that. You have always waited until I ended a letter before responding. I thought this magic required me to finish a thought in order for you to reply…is that not how it works?

_No that is not how I designed it. The journal on my end heats up to let me know that you are writing in it. If I bothered to write when you were not it would do the same on your end but I always wait for you to contact me. Sometimes I am in the middle of something and I have to go somewhere private to respond. For you it would seem instant but for me it could have been a few hours after you have written me. Other times, like now, I am alone and I decided to just stop your bullshit in its tracks._

I am glaring at you which you would know if you were here! It was not bullshit…well okay maybe it was somewhat disingenuous…FINE it was utter bullshit but this has gone on long enough HG. I want to see your face and watch the expressions you make when talking about the things we talk about. I found in the few meetings we had that your face makes the topic even more interesting than just words. I refuse to beg or plead with you over this either!

_I didn't ask you to beg Tom. All I want is for you to promise me that you will treat me with the respect I deserve and not like some pet you can order around or man handle. If you can promise to keep your hands to yourself than I will lift the ban and meet with you as soon as you are in bed tonight._

I cannot make that promise because sometimes my anger overrides my common sense. If I forget and get angry and grab you without really meaning to then you will disappear forever and I cannot allow that!

_I'm laughing…right now…at you. I mean that full head back from the belly laugh. You cannot allow it? You seem to forget that if I had not come to you or left you the journal that there would be no 'anything' for you to allow. I came to you…I approached you…not the other way around. I would never presume to try to tell you what to do but when it comes to my actions…you are not in control Tom Riddle! That you need to come to terms with…very soon…_

And if I don't?

_You already know the answer to that Tom…_

Growling as he slams the journal shut, Tom leans back with force against the chair and crosses his arms. Letting his head rest on the chair back and looking at the ceiling, he lets her words sink in. It seemed he was not going to be able to get around this hurdle like he wanted. If that was the case, he really was just wasting time trying to find a loop hole to use to get her to drop it.

Knowing he is pouting and being unable to stop it, Tom gathers his books and papers and stuffs them all into his bag. As he reaches for the journal, it is snatched up and away from him. Shooting to his feet in a burst of malevolent energy, Tom turns to face the culprit who dared lay on hand on his journal!

If he had not been paying attention the last few months to who was who in his house, he still would have recognized the platinum hair and gray eyes the Malfoy's were known for. Pulling his wand from his pocket, Tom glared at Abraxas and held out his other hand.

"Kindly hand that back Malfoy!"

The smile that Abraxas gave to him made the blood in his veins feel like it was boiling. Trying to remember HG's suggestions, he took a deep breath through his nose in order to try to keep his temper in check.

"The little half-blood has a diary…how quaint. Tell me Riddle…do you write all of your fears and wants and desires in here or just complaints about your inadequacies?"

Turning the journal over in his hand, Abraxas opens it to the first page to find a blank piece of parchment inside. His face taking on the confusion he is feeling he flips through several pages only to find them all blank as well. Looking back up at Riddle he sneers at him.

"Interesting trick! How did you get it to hide what you have written?"

Feigning disinterest and leaning casually against the library table, Tom meets Malfoy's gaze with his own steady one.

"That is not any of your business Malfoy. I am glad to know the charms are sufficient to hold against nosey upstarts."

Slamming the journal closed with a snarl on his lips, Abraxas stands up straight and glares down the few inches of height he has on Tom.

"How dare you talk to me that way you little fool! Do you have any idea who I am?"

Rolling his eyes with a smirk, his anger fading under his enjoyment of how flustered Malfoy was getting, Tom stood up straight as well and stepped into the older wizard's face.

"I know exactly who you are Abraxas Malfoy."

Leaning in as he lowers his voice so he can be heard by only Malfoy, Tom mutters a spell under his breath and then meets Malfoy's eyes as the air in his lungs stops moving.

"What you should be asking is do you know who…the…fuck…I am? All of you high born, inbred peacocks walk around with your nose in the air as if you smell something foul. Has it ever occurred to you that it is your own breath you smell? I may be young and I may be a half-blood but you are going to learn very quickly that I am not someone you want to piss off or have as an enemy Lord Malfoy."

Saying the wizards granted title with a sneer of his own, Tom watches as the fifth year grabs at his throat in an attempt to breath and stares at him in terror.

"Have you noticed yet that even Professor Dumbledore avoids being near me? Did it ever occur to you that there might be a reason for that?"

Gently taking the journal out of his now limp hands, Tom caressing the cover like you would a favorite toy or even maybe a lover before flicking his fingers to release the spell. As Malfoy gasps in one breath after the other, his eyes wide and locked on Tom, Tom leans down and lifts his bag from the floor where he dropped it and slides it over his shoulder.

"Watch your step Malfoy. Come around me again without the proper amount of respect and we will see how long the Malfoy line survives without an heir. Tell anyone about this moment and we see how long it takes before you can be pushed into insanity. I have been reading a lot lately and it seems there are many fun and varying ways to drive a person completely insane with just a flick of the wrist."

Stepping forward and smirking as Malfoy stumbles back and away from him, Tom starts to head for the exit when he thinks better of it. Turning his head and locking eyes on Malfoy, he lets the coldness inside bleed into his eyes.

"Touch my journal again without my expressed permission and I will do things to you before I let you die that you could not imagine in your worst nightmare."

Letting his face warm by degrees until he is smiling in a congenial fashion at the prefect Tom waves at Malfoy and throws a farewell over his shoulder as he takes his leave.

"See you around Lord Malfoy."

* * *

Walking past the common room and ignoring the jeers and whispered comments from the other Slytherins, Tom went in to his shared dorm and sat down at his desk. Pulling out the journal one more time, Tom opened it to the last entry and after a moment of hesitation, he put quill to parchment again.

I agree to your terms of engagement HG. I need your help before I make a mess of my own future as you say so I am willing to compromise even though I feel like I am setting myself up for failure or walking into some trap I cannot see yet.

Other than taking your hair down if you decide to defy me and put it up again, I will not put my hands on you in anger or in any other way unless you ask me to.

And make no mistake HG…in time you will ask me to…

TMRJ

* * *

Another six months passed with no word from HG and it almost seemed like she had never existed at all. Tom went through different emotions over this before finally being able to settle on indifference…or so he had convinced himself.

Christmas break came and went with absolutely nothing interesting at all happening. Unlike the summer, which Tom was now dreading because he knew he was going to end up back in that Merlin forsaken orphanage, he was able to stay at Hogwarts and spend the entire holiday reading and learning.

After much searching, he had found several books on a magical art called Legilimency and another on Occlumency. Both were mind magic and were going to be very useful for him. He spent the rest of the holiday doing the meditations and working up to creating his mind space so that he could start to employ Occlumency. It was the only thing he had found to help him control his anger and the better he became at it the more in control he felt.

Enjoying this little bit of a victory since it seemed he had somehow lost his battle with HG in some unexplainable way, Tom let the smile form on his face as he made his way to his room. After his run in with the Malfoy heir in November, he had not had another issue with the other Slytherins. He was surprised that Malfoy did not go running to Slughorn crying about what Tom had done but it seemed the upper classman had taken his threat very much to heart.

The journal, which was tucked up under his arm, suddenly began to warm and with a quickening pulse which he did not understand Tom hastened to get to his room and the privacy of his bed.

Tossing his bag and robes on the chair at his desk, Tom jumped onto his perfectly made bed and Accio'd a self-inking quill to his hand before opening the journal to the entry.

_Tom…are you there?_

I'm here HG! What took you so long to respond…I was starting to worry!

_Charmer…you were not…you don't worry about anything_

I can assure you HG that in this I was worried. You talk sometimes about your time and it sounds like there is fighting and some sort of war as well and not in the muggle world. You are the first person in my entire life that not only understands who and what I am but will still talk to me. I was worried something happened to you!

…_.._

_That is my way of letting you know I was speechless there for a moment. I don't know what to say or how to react to you being worried for me. That is not normally a feeling you would have… let alone admit to. I am sorry I worried you. It was not my intention. Things here got a little…hectic…and I was away from my journal for longer than I anticipated. _

I normally wouldn't admit to it and I had every intention of just ignoring your next message or being completely distant if you ever came back but it seems that plan went right out the window the moment I felt the journal warm. Hectic how? And why do I feel like that is a synonym for what you really wanted to say?

_Probably because you are smarter than most people and you have learned how to read between the lines when I say something that is less serious sounding than what really happened. I was catching up on the entries you made and I am sorry I was not around to help you with Malfoy or your studies over the holidays. Happy Christmas by the way. I know it is late but again…could not be helped._

I am not worried about that pompous arse and thank you for the well wishes but hectic how? Now you are conveniently avoiding my question…

_Can we talk about that tonight once you are asleep? I have opened up the dream door again so that you and I can talk face to face. I can agree to your hair stipulation even though I rolled my eyes at that. My awful hair is better out of the way but if you insist on it being in the way then so be it. That is a small concession to make on my behalf to make you happy._

I compromise…you compromise…isn't that how relationships work?

_We are not in a relationship Tom. You are eleven and I am seventeen. _

Is friendship not a relationship?

_Well…yes I guess it is…but would you really call us friends Tom? I am trying to steer you in a direction that keeps you from being a dangerous wizard in the future and you are attempting at every turn to charm and manipulate me to get the answers you seek in order to get your way. I think we are more like chess opponents than friends…_

I would say I'm hurt except I am not sure I know how to feel hurt. I think you have to have a heart in order for it to be hurt and I may have been born without one. However, when I need to talk you are there. When I am having an issue or need a problem solved you are there. When I fuck up and need to be reminded you are there. When I feel the need to laugh, which is very rare, it is normally you who is there making me laugh. I know I am different…cold…but is that not what friends do?

_There is a lot to friendship but that is as good of a start as any. I did not really realize we had made it to the first stages of friendship. I have been distracted with my own time line. Talking to you has already had some odd effects here and we have been unable to pinpoint what has changed and what is going to change. Hence it being 'hectic' all of a sudden._

Then I look forward to a few hours from now when I can set my eyes on you personally and make sure you are okay. I must head to the Great Hall for dinner. I was coming to drop my stuff off in the dorm when the journal heated. See you in a few hours HG…do not be late!

_I will be right here waiting. See you then. Oh and Tom…you have a heart you just have not been given the ability to use it…yet_


	5. Chapter 5-Moving Forward

**Greetings!**

**I know...gasp...two chapters in one day. I was on a roll and I had the next scene in my head so vividly that I was able to write it all down before the end of my day. Instead of holding it like a villain and posting it Monday...I decided to give it as a thank you to all of my followers and those who have made me smile already today with reviews that were just wonderful.**

**I am taking all the liberties I want with Tom and Hermione and this story so anything you see that does not match up to the story...its on purpose because I am not going to try to dig out little bitty tidbits on Tom to make it match when there isn't a lot out there. Hopefully you all still like the story in the end even with my liberties.**

**Have a great rest of the week and weekend. I am off until Monday, so I will be back on a roll then.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Trying to get through dinner and his school work while keeping up a calm and aloof façade was harder than he realized it would be. Though he tried to brush it off as excess energy, Tom knew deep down he was just excited and a bit nervous to see HG face to face again. He could not pinpoint why yet but he seemed to really enjoy being near her and hated being punished and not able to see her at all. He had made a vow to himself just a few hours prior that he would do everything in his power to keep her from running away again. He needed time to figure out why he hated not being near her so he could get control of that part of himself as well.

Listening to the other boys move around the room from behind the privacy of his bed curtains, Tom pulled out the journal and ran his fingers over the engraving in the bottom corner. He was not sure why he had done it but using his wand he had engraved his initials into the gold plating and right below his he had engraved HG. Each time they talked it felt more and more like she was becoming a part of him that he would not want to go without. Disgusted at the thought he had tried to erase the feeling while she had been away but in one moment all his hard work was for nothing. The warming of the journal, her beautiful looping script, and he was hooked once more on talking to her.

Sliding the journal under his pillow, he laid back and let his mind drift over that realization but really could not come to any understanding or conclusion that made sense to him. He was pretty sure she would be able to tell him but he was not willing to risk letting her know how addicting she was just to get the answer. Maybe he would ask one of the females he saw every day and see if they could explain it to him. Of course he would have to charm one of them into talking to him first. What a bunch of rubbish!

Casting the warding spell and silencing spell that HG had taught him the first weeks of school, he relaxed more into his bed and waited on the magic of the journal to activate and take him away. Muffliato was an interesting name for a charm. She had told him it was created by a wizard that would become his most trusted follower and one he needed to learn to appreciate and not degrade. He wasn't quite sure what that meant yet but he would be patient until she was willing to tell him more. He would just have to find out what spells his 'followers' created as he acquired them until he came across this particular one.

Drifting off to sleep was a bit harder with the adrenaline of knowing she would be there running through his veins but eventually all the noise and movement in the room stopped and the day caught up to him. Rolling to his side as he drifted deeper, Tom reached under the pillow and wrapped his hand around the edge of the journal with a slight smile on his face.

* * *

"For Godric's sake Ronald, I am not going to do this with you…again! I don't have the time or the patience to try to make you understand why I have no choice in what I am doing."

"That is a crock Mione and you know it! I don't care what Dumbledore and that greasy git said…this is too dangerous and not even going to work! Look at what just happened…you almost died and it would have been his fault!"

Reaching to grab her arms to pull her to a stop, Ron yelped when he received a shock to his fingertips instead and the spell rolled through him and made him feel sick to his stomach.

"Blimey Hermione…that damn journal attacks anyone that tries to touch you or get close to you when you are just carrying it around with you. Even that small piece of him is still as evil and hateful as it always was! You really think you can get the whole of that kind of darkness to just suddenly change and be all light and unicorns?"

Glaring at him for trying to grab her and running her fingers over the vibrating journal to sooth it, Hermione turns to face Ron and ultimately a very annoyed Harry with what little patience she has left.

"IT is a HE and he can hear you! That small piece of him is also residing in the journal now with a small piece of me you git which is why he attacks. He feels like you are being threatening to what he considers his property and yelling loud enough to wake the dead is not helping matters."

Sighing and setting the journal on the table so that the fractured soul of Tom could not lash out at Ron again, Hermione walked over to her best friend and put her arms around him to pull him close. Squeezing him in a warm hug, she takes a few breaths to calm her nerves before leaning back to look at him.

"Look Ron…I know you are worried and I know you don't like what I have to do but that is not going to change the fact that I am going to do it. You were not in all the meetings but I promise this has to be done or things will end badly for everyone."

Resting his forehead against hers, Ron groans at her logical answer.

"I know it has to be done but why does it have to be you? Why can't one of the other Order members put themselves at risk? What happens when he figures out how to counter the magic that gives you full control and takes back his part? What if he really hurts you one day before you can escape? There are plenty of others who could have done this mission!"

Rubbing her hands up and down his sides, Hermione sighs again but this time in understanding and sadness.

"They tried to get someone else. No one was qualified enough to do it. If they were smart enough than they were not empathetic enough. Others could not see past his deeds to treat him with respect or any form of caring. And not a single one of them was willing to use that dark spell Dumbledore had to tear a small piece of their soul off and stick it in the horcrux."

Lifting her head to look him in the eye, Hermione gives him a small smile and gently cups his cheek.

"In the end, I was the only one willing to do all that was needed for it to work who also had the brain to talk to him, the empathy to accept him as he is, and the bravery and loyalty to be willing to face him head on even if it meant pain or suffering. I will not back out now…not even for you Ron."

Watching the sadness come into his eyes again, Hermione blinks several times to keep the tears from forming in her eyes before turning to look at Harry.

"Will you…?"

Nodding at her, Harry walks over to put his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Come on mate…it's for the greater good. She has to go before the journal heats up and she misses the opportunity. Let's go play chess while she is gone yeah?"

"Yeah…okay Harry. Be careful Hermione. I mean it! You are still not fully healed from that stupid escapade into the ministry. You heard what Madam Pomfrey said about using too much magic and exhausting yourself. Short and sweet this time!"

Watching her best friend and her brother turn and walk away Hermione had to bite her lip against the pang of remorse and sadness that she felt. She never meant to hurt Ron and truly thought he would be happy with Lavender. Giving a piece of her soul to Tom Riddle had tied her to him for the rest of her life…no matter how short or long it ended up being. There was no turning back, no matter how Ron might care for her.

Picking up the journal and hugging it to her chest, Hermione headed up to her private dorm to get settled in for her own game of chess…only hers could not be reset and really was for keeps. She felt like they were going to save the Sorcerer's Stone all over again.

* * *

Tom opened his eyes to see that he was once again back in the forest clearing that HG seemed to be fond of. He really was going to have to find out where this place was so he could come to it in real life and see the appeal for himself. Leaning against the tree across from him, HG seemed to be lost in thought and her eyes looked…sad. Not knowing why exactly, Tom felt his temper flare slightly at that look. He didn't know who had put that sorrow in her eyes but they would pay for it.

Turning her head finally, she met his gaze and gave him a small but warm smile. He watched her eyes move down as if she were checking him for any harm. Once she seemed satisfied she looked back up at him and held out her hand.

"Walk with me?"

Looking back and forth between her eyes to check her sincerity, Tom came to the conclusion that she was being completely open at the moment and walked forward to take her hand. Turning, they both started to slowly wander through the beautiful trees.

"Why do you like to come here?"

Her smile growing and taking on a wistful air, HG took a deep breath and suddenly he could not only see the trees but smell the pine from the needles. He could feel the dampness in the air and even taste the rich loam around him.

"My parents and I used to come here during the summer to camp and just be alone together without the interference of the rest of the world. It was their chance to escape their busy lives and my chance to spend more time with them. Being an only child was never that bad but there were times when I would get very lonely while they were at work or off to some conference. This was my time to get to be their daughter without the rest of it in the way."

Looking down he realized the nice feeling he was getting was her thumb rubbing what seemed to be unconsciously back and forth against his hand. He could not remember a single time that someone touched him without it causing pain and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from ripping his hand away in anger and confusion. That would not help his plan to win her over and gain more control of the situation.

"Once I started Hogwarts, the distance between them and it became even more pronounced. I would go home for the summer and we would take a small vacation together but for the most part they thought I would enjoy the alone time since I had to spent the rest of my year surrounded by Griff…other students…"

Jerking his head up to look at her face at the slip, his grin widened at her biting her lip and obviously berating herself silently for letting that tidbit through. Playing it smart for the moment, Tom looked back to the path and continued forward hand in hand.

"So basically they stopped bringing you here and ultimately left you to your own devices and went about their own lives. Rumor has it that that happens a lot with the muggleborns that end up in our world. The muggle parents do not truly know how to take the wizarding world or their magical child and the family grows apart with the separation of their world and ours. Am I getting that right?"

Nodding she looked down at him and gave him a warm smile that made his heart feel like it skipped a beat before settling into a fast rhythm like a stampede of hippogriffs.

"Don't get me wrong though. I love my parents and they love me. It just became hard to talk about what I had been doing when I had to explain the basics first just to tell them about a class or some new theory or spell or rune or whatever. Forget trying to explain Quidditch to them. My dad loved sports but trying to explain brooms and the points and how to score and bludgers and snitches…a nightmare! And I don't even really like Quidditch so that made it worse."

Letting her head fall back as she laughed about it, Tom had a strange moment where he realized that not only was she brilliant and brave but she was beautiful as well. If he were ever inclined to take a female for his own as he had heard and seen others in his house do…he realized he would want someone like HG. Reminding himself to always be honest at least in his own mind he amended that it would BE her and not someone like her.

The only problem with that was that if he got to that point, he had no way to know which time to find her in and if he would live that long. Making a mental note to start researching magical ways to slow one's life down, prolong it, or even become immortal when he returned to school after the summer, Tom tuned back in to the conversation to listen to her tell him anecdotes and funny stories about her muggle parents and their experience with magic.

During her stories and laughter they had managed to find a nice log next to a stream and she had sat down pulling him with her. He found himself mesmerized by her hand gestures and facial expressions. For the life of him he could not figure out the feeling that sat in the pit of his stomach but knew that it had something to do with everything she had shared with him today.

Then it hit him…jealousy…he was jealous? She did seem to have very loving parents even if they were a bit distant due to her magical abilities. Her childhood was full of laughter and love and fun and he realized he was not only jealous that he had not gotten to experience that for himself but was jealous that her parents had gotten to share that with her and vis versa. He wanted to know what it felt like to come home to a mother or father that was happy to have you there and wanted to know all about your time even if they didn't fully understand. At the same time he wanted her to come to him with her day and what she did and no one else. It was a very confusing and he knew twisted feeling so for the first time outside of meditation, Tom pulled on his will power to erect his first full occlumency shield to try to block out the feeling.

He was so focused on what he was doing that he didn't realize HG had gone silent until the smell of the trees faded and the sound of the stream went quiet as well. Looking up at her, he noticed she was studying him like he studied other people and he didn't much care for the feeling that brought about.

"What did I say or do to push you to fade behind your occlumency? Though I have to say bravo for already having worked that out and being able to use it but I thought we were having a nice time…"

Her worry and confusion was evident on her face and as she leaned back on her hands he caught a flash of hurt in her eyes as well.

"Nothing. Listening to you about your life I started to feel jealous…about several things. I am not good with over bearing feelings and I especially do not like jealousy as it points to the thought process that something in your life is lacking to be jealous over. So I decided to see if I could use the occlumency to control it so that I didn't lose my hold on my temper next."

The smile that bloomed on her face made his chest ache and caused him to lose all concentration on his shield.

"Well I never thought I would see the day! Tom Marvolo Riddle Junior is jealous of little muggleborn, Griffindor Her…uh me. I need to mark this on and then off of my bucket list."

Her grin turning into an unladylike snort and then a chuckle had his temper rising along with the urge to give her an incredulous smile. Knowing which would make her more susceptible to his charm, he let the self-deprecating grin form on his face and watched her eyes get wide and her laughter die though she did not lose her own grin.

"You should smile more often Tom…it makes you much more inviting and approachable."

Tilting his head in a mock bow like he had seen the other purebloods do to each other he lifted her hand and gently brushed his lips across her knuckles.

"As my lady commands it…so shall it be."

The blush that rises on her cheeks and rushes down her neck causes his adrenaline to start pumping in his veins again. It seemed that wherever she was from the boys there had not learned or did not treat her with the etiquette that was to be afforded a lady. And just like that he had his way in to her head and her heart. She would be his very soon indeed and he would be able to get all the answers he was looking for about his future.

"Now…since we have established that your life has been much brighter and kinder than mine and that I am indeed jealous of your fortune…how about we discuss this slip of yours. Griffindor house…really HG…did you have to be a Griffindor?"

Wrinkling his nose as if he smelled something foul, he watched her roll her eyes and try to hide the grin that was trying to bloom by biting her lip.

"Well TJ…can I call you TJ?"

Raising her eyebrow in challenge, she turns her head to the side to give him a mock coy look that makes him chuckle. Pretending to consider it he nods his head in acceptance like a prince would to a servant and watches as her face lights up in brilliant laughter again.

"If one were to believe in fate and not just chance then yes TJ, I had to be a Griffindor. Only a Griffindor would have the courage to take a leap like I did on you."

"What do you mean by leap?"

Sliding forward and placing her hand on his chest right over his heart, HG meets his eyes with such an open look that for a moment he wants to lash out just to make her back away.

"I told you I was here to save you or destroy you. To get close enough to you over time and space, I had to give up a piece of myself to you. That won't make any sense yet but in a few years you will know exactly what I mean. No matter what the outcome is now…I couldn't go back to before if I tried. I am as locked into this now as you are. No one else was willing to sacrifice that much to give you a chance…except for me. And a large part of that decision at first was that my Griffindor nature would not let me back down to my own fears."

At the point where her hand connected to his chest, Tom could feel a warm, radiant wave flowing from her into him and back out. He was not positive but it felt almost like her very essence or as the muggles liked to define it…her soul.

Looking back up at her face to ask a question, Tom pauses as he notices her face losing some of its color and sweat beginning to bead on her forehead. Forgetting completely about what he was going to ask, Tom moves to kneel in front of her as he places his hand on her face.

"HG what's wrong? You look sick or something…" Keeping his voice soft with an inflection of worry, Tom searches her face for the answer.

"I am going to have to cut this meeting short TJ. I told you that it has been hectic in my time line. As you said, hectic was a synonym…for dangerous and in my case almost deadly. We got into a skirmish of sorts and I got hit by an unknown dark curse. I managed to silence the dea…the culprit but the spell still hit with enough potency to cause serious damage."

As she talked her hands started to shake and she gripped them together to try to contain it.

"The healing process is taking longer than they thought it would and my magic depletes faster the more I use it. I think I may have over exerted myself by making the environment more real for you so you could know this place like I remember it. I was told to take it easy…I didn't listen." Giving him a weak deprecating smile, she tries to stand only to wince and fall back to the log.

Moving to make sure she doesn't hurt herself more, Tom wraps his arms around her to slow her fall and does his best to use his smaller size to its fullest.

"Who hurt you HG? Give me their name and I will make sure they never survive to get to your time and hurt you!"

His eyes losing all warmth as he lets his inner being free, Tom gently holds her chin to make her meet his eyes.

"I can't do that TJ…I don't know what that kind of change would do to the time line or even to me at this point. Time is a capricious thing and we must be very careful how we tread."

Standing in a burst of violence, wishing he had his magic available so he could destroy a few tress, Tom stomps away from her as his voice rings through the forest.

"BULLSHIT!"

Turning back to face her, seething in his anger, he glares at her through burning eyes.

"I want to know the name of the wizard who fired the curse at you HG. You are going to tell me today or you will tell me in the future but I WILL have his name and I will make him pay for hurting you!"

Her eyes filling with tears, that make his chest ache again, HG pushes to her feet and leans heavily against the nearby tree.

"You want the honest truth of it then Tom? I warned you not to ask questions you didn't want the answer to."

At his furious nod, HG takes a deep breath and closes her hand into a fist at her side.

"It was you Tom. Another wizard may have cast the curse but it was done out of devotion to you and by your orders. Who hates me for my blood and my status enough to try to kill me…you do."

With those last two whispered words and the lone tear falling down her cheek, HG opens her hand and vanishes.

Sitting up in bed with his hand stretch out in front of him and no pouring from his lips in a raged plea, Tom looks around and realizes she has left him again and he is back in his bed…alone. Leaning forward and putting his head in his hands, Tom touches the tear that is on his cheek that matches the same placement of her tear and lets his mind blank as the ache in his chest deepens to a crushing weight. Ripping the journal out from under his pillow, he summons a quill and opens to the first free page. Throwing caution to the wind he reaches out one more time.

Don't leave me HG…please…

Waiting with baited breath, Tom feels the ache ease as he reads the words that slowly form on the page is a shakier version of her handwriting. Putting the journal away and laying back down, he closes his eyes and lets her words run over and over in his mind as he drifts back off to sleep.

_Never Tom…I will never leave you_


	6. Chapter6-Knowledge is Power is Knowledge

**Greetings and Salutations my fellow readers and writers!**

**It looks as though I was able to keep my nose out of the streaming programs to bring to you this newest episode in the life of Tom and HG. Hope you all like it and that it keeps you going until I update again.**

**I cannot remember if I have said it or not so I wanted to give everyone a warning. I will be moving fast with this story as I get through the younger years and some of the cannon plot we all know and love. I do not plan to play a month by month of 11 year old Tom or anything. I wanted enough to establish the rhythm of the pair before moving forward. From here on out, any time I skip I will allude to when I need to insert what is going on.**

**This chapter is during third year so as you can see I have skipped his second year altogether. Anyone who was expecting 100 chapters of every single year, I am sorry to disappoint but I am not a 100 chapter kind of snake. My stories already get away from me as I am writing so I would never plan that many chapters. My plan was only to have roughly 20 for this one but as I was supposed to do one chapter per year and that has not happened yet...it is obvious I cannot possibly predict how long or short my own work will be lol.**

**All credit to JKR for creating this wonderful world for us to frollick in and these yummy characters for us to use and mold and shape and play with as we see fit. You are a goddess my lady.**

**I would like to thank everyone who is reading, following, and reviewing this story. It gives me major feels to know that I am doing an okay enough job that people are enjoying the story. If all goes my way I plan to have another chapter of 'Storm' up this week and maybe even a part 2 to one of my one-shots...we shall see.**

**All my Slytherin love to each and every one of you. Now on with the show...**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

I found the book HG! Why didn't you just tell me that I was the descendant of Salazar bloody Slytherin instead of making me search and dig for this dusty old tome in the furthest corner of the library? I can see why no one goes back there! It is covered in dust and who knows what else. I am going to have to wash several times to get the grime that I collected out of my hair!

_I am laughing at you Tom. I can just see the scowl and you trying to get your hair to sit back into that perfected look you had going. I am sorry you got dirty but then again so did I looking for that information and I thought it only fair that you had the same experience._

Thank you oh so very much you pain in the arse lion! I swear I think you have done that kind of thing to me over the past two years just to see how many times you can force me into a very Griffindor moment and how I will handle it. Haven't you learned yet that I am afraid of nothing and if I wasn't so very cunning and intent on ruling the wizarding world that I would have made a good lion?

_Oh Merlin! Do not say things like that…you will give my house a bad name! Ravenclaw sure…you could have been in Ravenclaw. But not a Griffindor and definitely not a Hufflepuff. That is just too weird to even contemplate._

I swear I can hear your incredulity in your words along with the half laugh you would have done while saying it. I miss your laugh HG. When are we going to have time to have a face to face? And I know that made you blush and I'm glad. Those boys of yours do not tell you nice things often enough.

_Yes but how often are the nice things you say the way you really feel?_

Lately…every single one of them…

_Well….I will try to find some time in the next few days to be able to sit down and talk to you face to face. Of course for you that will be a few weeks at least. I have done the math over and over and it seems the time lapse between you and I is ever changing. There is no rhyme or reason…which is just irritating!_

Only because you seem to require some sort of structure to this venture of yours to save my soul. I for one like the chaos of it all. It means you are not able to predict every little interaction or event. Means that you have to stay on your toes. I like you on your toes all the time. You get this cute wrinkle to your nose when you are frustrated about something not being to your liking.

_You can be such a jerk TJ! And I don't have a wrinkle…and it's NOT cute!_

We shall have to agree to disagree on this as well then. How are your studies going?

_Stressful…_

_There is so much going on besides just school work. We have this horrendous teacher this year…your fault of course…who is a blood purist like your new little group of Knights. She is a toad of a woman and at this point I have considered learning the killing curse or the torture curse just for her! _

Wait…wait…wait…how is this teacher my fault?

_Sorry Tom…that I can't explain to you yet._

I am frowning at you which you would know if we were face to face. Of course if we were I think I could convince you to tell me like I have the other things you have let slip or just given in with. This is why you spend less time with me in person now isn't it. I'm not 11 anymore and I'm unbelievably attractive and my smile has charmed you…hasn't it?

_You are frowning and I am rolling my eyes! I tell you things when it's okay to do so. If I don't make a fuss then you would know what is truly important in the information I impart and what is not. If I make everything a no until it's not a no anymore…you never know what I couldn't tell you and what I could. And really Tom…unbelievably attractive? Arrogant much?_

Wait…are you saying that all the times I charmed the information from you that you were withholding it was so I would think I had won? And it is not arrogance HG if it's the truth!

_Nope…not all the time but some of it. Keeps you on your toes Tom. And I like you on your toes. You get this frown on your face that makes you look 11 again and I get to remember what a cute little boy you were._

What is it you told me that one time….oh yes…get stuffed you wanker!

_Oh good Godric…I just knocked over my ink well from laughing you great git. That was priceless…seriously! Do NOT go saying that all the time. That is a phrase that does not come out for some time. You are going to cause the trend to start too early. Oh Merlin I am still laughing. My cheeks hurt from laughing. And to be fair I was only returning the sentiment baby boy._

Baby boy? I can't decide if I am offended or if I like that…I'll let you know when I decide.

_Okay…you do that. I am still going to use it regardless. To answer the original question…I am ahead in my classes by a full week and I am still top of my class. Even with everything else going on I just cannot seem to stop being a little swot! Good thing my friends love me anyway._

I don't like that they call you those names HG. No one should be allowed to belittle you that way!

_They do it out of humor and love now. It is not the same as when we were young. RW can be nm arse sometimes but HP and I are more like brother and sister than friends and anything he says is in pure jest…I promise._

Maybe you would be better off without RW then!

_He has the emotional range of a teaspoon…it's his biggest flaw. That and he doesn't think before he speaks…even in anger. Sound like someone else we know?_

Do not compare me to that idiot. From everything you have ever told me he is empty-headed and completely beneath you! I get that you are all close after the troll incident and now the war that apparently I continue to make worse. I wish I could change the 'me' that you know so that you could just come to my side of things. I could protect you then and you would not have to associate with people who are beneath your stature and ability.

_That is the thing about true friends and love Tom…you like them not for what they can give you but just because they are who they are and they are yours. RW may not be as smart as HP or I but he is funny and makes us all laugh. He is also very loyal and will stand up for his family and friends even when he knows he may not win. He can forget himself and say hurtful things in the heat of anger and not realize he even did it because he can be very thoughtless. But once he has it pointed out how much of a dick he was…he is always there to apologize and make it better. I am not excusing his behavior either because he is getting old enough to learn to control his own temper and mouth! But unlike you…he is a slooooow learner._

Again we will continue to agree to disagree on this because I do not like him or the way he treats you. I also do not like HP and the fact that he will choose RW over you when there is a fight. I would always choose you first HG…always.

_I am starting to realize, I may have told you a little too much about my friends and personal life after all. Little late to do anything about that now but I guess in all the talks and writing, I just forgot to keep myself closed off._

That would defeat the purpose of your mission though HG. If you keep yourself closed off, what reason would I have to open up to or trust you? You have to give to receive…that's what you taught me. If you want to make a friend and have them care for you then you have to give them enough of yourself for them to care for right? And contrary to popular belief that I am a heartless, cold bastard…I care…at least when it comes to you.

_Speaking of friends and such…how are the Knights of Walpurgis? Have they learned the proper respect towards you yet or are you still working on that?_

You know I have yet to start calling them that. Avery and Rosier have become quite the perfect henchmen. Mulciber is an idiot…which you warned me about…but he is useful for muscle so I keep him around. Nott is so very anti-muggle that it is hard not to outright Avada him! Of course that would not be fair as they do not know about you or our connection. Malfoy is being resistant as usual but he will be gone after this year so I am not worried about him at present. Lestrange is a mystery and though he seems to be watching me all the time, he has not approached me or made a move to talk to anyone around me…odd one that one is.

_I like how you still call them henchmen and muscle. I thought we discussed you trying to make friends instead of collect goons. What happened to all our long talks about that? _

I tried…they irritate me….end of trying.

_Oh for Salazar's sake TMRJ! Sometimes you make my head hurt. As far as those that are not on board…make it a public display in your own sneaky way to reveal your ancestry. Malfoy and the others will not have as easy of a time dismissing you once the entirety of Slytherin learns you are his heir. In that house it basically makes you royalty. His dark majesty, Prince Tom Riddle…has a nice if not pompous ring to it don't you think?_

You can call me 'your majesty' or 'your grace' or even 'my prince' anytime you feel like it HG.

_Rolling my eyes again…so far back I think they might be stuck that way. Never…going…to…happen! Repeat that anytime you forget yourself._

I enjoy how you and only you can seem to drag laughter out of me. I must go for now. I have class in fifteen minutes and I am already going to be late if I don't hurry. Not to mention I think Lucretia Black is waiting on me to escort her to class. Now I am rolling my eyes but I am playing the gentleman like you suggested. Talk to you later on tonight (my tonight)?

_Best hurry then. I will endeavor to be around when you are free again. Until then…_

* * *

Rolling his shoulders from the long back half of his day, Tom gave the password to the Slytherin common room and entered through the portrait. Intending to head straight to his room in order to take a shower, do his homework, and write to HG, he had to contain his annoyance and bite back on the snarl that started to climb up his throat when he was stopped by Lucretia again.

"Hello Tom. Did you have a good end of the day?"

Blinking her eyes in rapid secession at him, she reached forward and laid her hand on his arm. Holding himself completely still so that he did not do something offensive like slap her hand away from his skin he gave her his most charming smile.

"It was the usual bore at it always is. How about your day Teci, was it a good one?"

Her giggle made him grit his teeth and think of HG. She did not simper or giggle…she laughed. She had a laugh that was full throated and so rich and filled with life and light that it made his entire day better. He had no idea still why he had to play nice with such a simpering simpleton but it made HG happy and kept her laughing so he would play along…for now.

"You know how it is Tom. The Professor's think that we are all too simple minded to really understand the curriculum so they just let us talk amongst ourselves while they instruct the men. It's so much better that way. I was just telling Elena today that we really needed to take a day to go shopping. The new clothing season begins next week and I cannot wait to see what new robes there are to buy. Do you think you would be able to get free to escort us?"

Keeping to himself that the Professors were probably right, Tom gave her an apologetic smile and shook his head no.

"I am sorry to say Teci that I will not be able to leave school during class time. I have too much studying to do and as I have a full schedule of classes, I really cannot afford to miss any of them or my private tutoring with Slughorn. Maybe some other time though. If you will excuse me, I have some pressing matters to attend to."

Raising her hand to brush his lips along her knuckles, he turned with a smile and left the giggling buffoon before he decided to end her family line with her.

Retreating to his room behind the closed door, Tom set his bag down on his chair and pulled out the journal. Running his hands over it gently he smiled a more genuine smile at the warmth that always seemed to radiate from it now. He didn't know why or how but it always made that ache in his chest appear and he had grown to like the feeling. Sliding the journal in the drawer in nightstand, Tom grabbed his clothes and headed to the wash room to take a quick shower before starting on his homework.

* * *

Several hours later, Tom closed his Arithmacy book and waved the parchment back and forth a few times so the ink would dry. Waving his wand to make sure none of his essays would smear and were truly dry, he packed up his work and books and stood up to stretch. Looking at the Black Lake he could tell that it was already dark outside. Checking the pocket watch that Teci had gotten him for his birthday, he threw on his robe and headed to the Great Hall. He still had enough time to grab a quick bite to eat before giving in and opening the journal again.

After the first year of feeling the need to talk to HG every minute of every day, Tom began to exercise his Occlumency training by putting up his shields to ignore that need. The newest rule that he began at the start of this year was that he would not talk to her or open the journal at all unless it was an emergency from her or he had completed everything he needed to do at any given point during his day. So far he had kept perfectly to that rule and felt immense satisfaction in knowing he could keep her waiting like she did him. Though it really was not the same thing as time seemed to move slower for her then it did for him.

Reaching the double doors to the Great Hall, Tom made sure his hair was in place before pushing open the doors and walking with his usual confidence and grace to his spot at the Slytherin table. Nodding to Avery and Rosier as he sat down, Tom filled his plate and proceeded to eat as quickly as manners would allow.

"Another big date with your journal tonight Tom?"

The sneering question gave Tom pause before he adjusted his shields to keep his temper in check and raised his head to smile a condescending smile at Abraxas.

"Actually, not at first Malfoy. I have some reading to do on family lineage. I spoke with Slughorn and he seemed to think that my mother's last name was important. Told me where I could look to find out."

"What did you find Tom?"

Tom almost felt an appreciation for Avery's enthusiasm and loyalty when trying to maneuver around the Malfoy heir's attitude. Turning his attention away from the blonde prat and to his 'Knight' as HG liked to call them; he shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Exactly what I thought I would find. The Headmaster and Slughorn have always said I was powerful and too intelligent to just be some unknown. It turns out that my mother's family line is a direct decedent to Salazar Slytherin himself."

The silence that greeted that statement was one he had never heard happen when he talked at the Slytherin table.

"You're lying!"

The hissed reply only made his smile grow as he turned to face Malfoy once more and spread his hands in a 'what can you do' gesture.

"I have no need to lie and what would that really get me in the end Abraxas? Your family has to have books that update family lineage…even ones that have moved away from the pureblood ways. My mother was Merope Gaunt whose father was Marvolo Gaunt. It's where I get my middle name. The Gaunt family is the only family now that can trace its lineage all the way back to Salazar. So I guess that makes me the Slytherin Heir now doesn't it?"

Raising his eyebrow in challenge, Tom winks at Lucretia Black before turning back to him plate.

The venom in his voice as he leaned over to say one last thing to Tom did nothing but enflame his confidence and his already enlarged ego.

"I will check your story Riddle. When I find out you are lying, I will make sure you never feel welcome in the Slytherin house again!"

Standing and taking a sweet cake with him for dessert, Tom gives Malfoy one last sarcastic smile before heading back to his dorm room.

"You do that Malfoy. And when you find out I'm not lying…I expect a grand show of your sincere regret when you apologize. From everything I have learned it is consider bad manners to treat someone of my status so lowly in our society. I would hate for that little bit of knowledge to get outside these walls…wouldn't you?"

Turning and leaving with a lightness to his step and humming a tune he had heard HG humming the last time he saw her, Tom heads to tell her about Malfoy's future humiliation and get ideas on how to deal with it when he comes crawling.


	7. Chapter 7-Puppy Love

**Greetings...again!**

**I know this is so not natural. I posted two chapters per story this week. I think my story tigers are out of their cages and running loose in my head. I am not even going to keep you waiting with any long author banter. **

**Any mistakes-mine**

**World-JKR...Plot Liberties-Mine**

**Let the show continue...**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Watching her head fall back as she laughed, the shine of tears of amusement sparkling at the corner of one eye, Tom wondered how none of the boys from her time could see how beautiful she truly was. The only thing he could think is that the shallowness of men as a whole had to have gotten worse. Between her intellect and wit and her ability to turn any given mood into laughter and light, he did not understand how she was unattached and not yet engaged to be married to some lucky wizard. His brow furrowing as he considered that, Tom threw the stick he had been fiddling with across the meadow and moved to sit beside her again.

"I can't believe he actually, willing bent the knee and apologized to you like a peasant. I know I am not supposed to encourage your megalomaniac tendencies but I wish I could have seen that. The Malfoy's have always been such snobby pricks that I didn't think it was possible to force one so low."

Shrugging as if it was no big deal and then bowing his head like a king to a peasant when she clapped a few times, Tom nudged her leg with his before staring across the meadow to the deer that was walking around.

"Can I ask you something HG?"

Catching her breath and waving her face to try to reign in her amusement she turned to face him, propping her leg up on the log they were sitting on as she nodded.

"Why aren't you spoken for already?"

Confusion filling her eyes, HG tilts her head and nibbles on her bottom lip.

"I am not sure I understand the question. Do you mean like a boyfriend?"

"A boyfriend or in a contract to be married to a powerful and worthy wizard. How can you be completely unattached?"

That same sadness he has seen many times creeps into her eyes as she turns her head to look out at the meadow this time.

"No one really sees me that way. I'm the friend who can help you with your homework or research. I'm the one you come to when you have an issue and need a brain to solve it. My close friends only really see me as 'one of the boys' so they don't really treat me like a girl. Most of the other people around us seem to follow their lead. I sort of ended up in the friend zone and to be honest, I am not really very pretty when compared to the other girls flitting about in the Griffindor tower and in the school. I'm just know-it-all bookish nagging HG."

Though through her tone and shrug she tried to convey nonchalance about it all, Tom could tell that it really did hurt her to be seen that way. Biting the inside of his cheek to rein in his growing temper, he stood up and held out a hand to her.

Pulling her to her feet once she placed her tiny hand in his, Tom gave her a boyish grin and twirled her around before pulling her against him and swaying back and forth with her in his arms. She stiffened only for a moment before letting her body relax against him.

"You are breaking the rules baby boy."

Rolling his eyes at that stupid nickname, Tom decided it was time to start seeing what he could and could not get away with.

"You looked like you needed to be cheered up and dancing with a handsome boy is supposedly a great way to cheer any crestfallen girl. Plus it was time someone showed you that you are in fact a very beautiful girl and if you were in my time you would have had any pick out of a number of wizards who would have wanted your affection and your intelligence."

Her chuckle warmed his chest. Of course he knew it wasn't just his chest but he refused to admit the truth even to himself most days. She made his heart ache just as much as she made it warm and flutter and he wanted to give some of that feeling back to her.

"Of course you have a valid point miss."

Stepping back two full steps from her and bowing at the waist, Tom holds his hand out and looks up from under his lashes to grin at her.

"May I have this dance my lady?"

He could tell she was trying to hold it in but with little effort she lost the battle and a very soft smile bloomed on her face. A smile he had seen some of the other witches in his class wear when they were pleased with their wizard. He felt his chest puff some as she curtsied perfectly and took his hand.

"Yes you may your majesty."

As he twirled her around the meadow to a song neither of them could hear but felt, her laughter and his answering chuckle echoed off the trees nearby and for a moment in his life Tom was pretty sure what he felt was happiness.

* * *

The next time he was able to see her, he could tell she was distracted and her mind was not fully with him. Leading the discussion starting with his third year exams that were fast approaching and her worry over her own OWL's, Tom wondered how he could get her to tell him what was really bothering her.

"May I touch you?"

His question caused her to stutter mid-sentence and she seemed to chock slightly on her whooshing breath out before turning her head to give him a confused and slightly suspicious look.

"Touch me…how?"

He chuckled at the way she drew out the word how and stood to face her.

"I want to do a little trust exercise with you and it requires that I touch you. I promise it will not be in an inappropriate way at all and if you want me to stop at any point all you have to do is say so."

Looking at him for several long seconds, Tom held his breath and kept his face as innocent as he could without giving her the false façade he let everyone else see. Seeming to find what she was looking for, HG stood and held her hands to her side in a go ahead gesture. Twirling his finger in a circle to indicate he wanted her to turn around he waited for her to comply before stepping up behind her and putting his hands over his eyes.

Being this close to her he realized that he had not only caught up to her smaller height but had surpassed her by a few inches. He couldn't wait until he was tall enough to look down at her. He had been told girls like a man who is taller than they are…made them feel small and protected.

"I read in a book somewhere that if you take away the sense of sight that the other senses try to compensate for it. Since we agreed no more draining your magic to make this place feel completely real, there is nothing for your other sense to focus on except my voice. It's also supposed to help your mind settle and give you a clear brain to start over with."

Pulling her gently back with his hands over her eyes, Tom slides down a tree and pulls her down between his legs. Making sure they are both comfortable with her leaning back against him, Tom rests his chin on her shoulder and keeps her eyes covered.

"You and I are supposed to be becoming friends. You wanted to get to know me and for me to let you in to my thoughts and my life. We have been talking about all the random tings in our lives from school to general facts about your home and the time I spend outside of Hogwarts. We have talked about your friends and my Knights in as much detail as possible."

Keeping one hand over her eyes, Tom pulls his Slytherin tie from around his neck and then uses it to tie a blind fold around her eyes. As she stiffens he murmurs _trust me_ against her ear and lets her relax again before finishes the knot and wrapping his hands around her waist.

"You tell me tidbits about my evil monster time twin that is terrorizing your life and the lives of your friends and family and even give me hints as to how to avoid the mistakes I made to become that way. I know you already care for me more than you meant to."

At her start of a protest he laid his hand over her mouth to quite her.

"I don't know if you were about to argue your feelings or my ability to know them but you are a Griffindor HG. You do well hiding things when it's of dire import that I not know. When it comes to your emotions and your heart you are not able to hide those near as well as you think."

Her scoff against his hand makes the hair rise along his arm and he slowly pulls his hand away to make sure she is not going to interrupt again.

"Now back to this trust exercise. I think it is time you told me what is eating at you so much right now that you cannot even give me your full attention. Do not give me some lame story about your classes either because here is the only place that you are never nervous about school, since we can discuss any class and help each other with the curriculum. I'm asking you to trust me for once with something that you would normally keep to yourself…like a friend trusts another friend."

Keeping his body relaxed so that she doesn't feel his trepidation and how much he really wants her to trust him, Tom uses every ounce of his new found talent in Occlumency to keep his patience and want in check.

"Friends trust their friends to know their emotions and how much they may want to listen about their issues or how eager they are to get the juicy gossip. You are so devil-may-care about it all that I don't feel like telling you would even matter baby boy."

Huffing out in frustration, Tom lets his shields go and he can feel his impatience vibrate along his skin.

"Would you please stop calling me that when I am trying to create a more mature moment with you? It makes me sound like I am still eleven and it aggravates me."

"What would you prefer I call you then?"

"I don't know…anything but that. Tom, TMJR, TJ, Riddle…hell at this point I might settle for arsehole or bastard if it meant not feeling like I'm sliding backwards in age in your eyes."

"Does it really bother you that much if I still see you as a kid and not older?"

Tensing and knocking his head against the tree a few times, Tom groans out in frustration and tightens his hold on her though he makes sure not to make it painful. Blowing out a breath and resting his chin on the top of her head, Tom tries to find a way to answer that that will not make him feel foolish.

"Stop trying to word your answer in your head. Just give me the first answer that came to mind…the one that is real from deep inside!"

"Fine! Yes…it bothers me. I know what you said about Dumbledore's theory and since I am not even sure what that mussy feeling is supposed to feel like and it seems to just make people stupid, he might be right. But when I am here with you or talking to you through the journal it makes my chest ache and I want to be near you again and I want you to look at me and miss me and want to be near me as much as I want to be near you. So yes I hate when you use that damn nickname as a way to distance yourself from the fact that I am not some little snot nosed kid anymore!"

Pulling out of his arms which he had to fight to let her do, Tom watches her warily as she turns around and sits back on her knees to face at him. That damn lip slides back under her teeth again and it takes all of his control not to reach up and pull it free from the abuse.

"Remember how I said that I had to sacrifice a piece of myself in order to find you this way?"

Tom nods his head and folds his arms across his chest before remembering she can't see him and answering instead.

"That piece of me lives in the journal with a piece of you from my time. Do not ask me how because I will not tell you that part. You will either follow your destructive path and find it on your own, or you won't and I will never have to worry about it again. But…"

Running her hair through her hair, HG leans her head back and sighs.

"There have been unforeseen side effects to that whole process. Things that no one knew would happen or the master behind this whole plot didn't bother to tell me…"

Sitting up straighter and wrapping his hands gently around her arms, Tom rubs up and down for a moment in a rare show of worry.

"Are these side effects dangerous to you HG? I don't want to give you up but I don't want to see you hurt either."

Her smile is soft and sweet as she sort of melts at his words and Tom has a moment to be confused as to what he did to cause such a girlie reaction from HG before her voice brings him back to the present moment.

"Nothing that is going to hurt me per say. It could get messy in an emotionally uncontrolled kind of way. I think the piece of me in the journal is affecting the real you in my time. There are rumors that he is…or rather has put out an order for his minions."

The nibbling of her lip had turned to fully chewing on it and as Tom watches the skin turn red and puffy he can't resist and reaches forward to pull it free.

"Stop doing that you are going to hurt yourself. What order did he give HG?"

Her shoulders slumping and her head dropping, HG mumbles incoherently at first until he tips her face up with his finger and waits.

"They were ordered to capture and bring me in alive and unharmed if possible."

The fear in her voice sets his blood to instantly boiling in rage as he pulls her into his arms.

"He can't have you! You are mine!"

Realizes he may be holding her too tightly, Tom eases up on his hold and gently sways side to side with her in his arms. He can feel her shaking and in that moment he wants nothing more than to go to her time and kill the version of him that she is so terrified of. How was he supposed to win her trust if she believed he was going to turn into whatever his future-self had become?

"I also think being in possession of the journal all the time may be affecting you in a similar way. You really are not known for any mercy or soft feelings at all. You are recorded as being a self-contained sociopath with no regard for the life of anyone but yourself."

Turning in his arms Hg settles back against him and takes a few deep breaths to try to get her heart under control.

"For you to react so violently to the idea of me being hurt or gone shows that you care. And if you care then you are not completely heartless anymore. And if you are not completely heartless than does that mean having me around was enough to change you or is it the piece of me that is influencing you the way the piece of you influences me…"

"Influences you how? How does that piece of me influence you HG?"

Folding her arms across his around her stomach and gently gripping down on his forearms, HG turns her head to the side so that her ear is lying over his heart on his chest.

"I have a shorter fuse to my temper and when I lose my temper I can be meaner or crueler than I normally would be. I have to bite my tongue to not say the scathing comments that come to mind when I am around really, really stupid people. And I always thought of myself as better than everyone else when it came to my intelligence but now sometimes I walk around all 'high and mighty' as my roommate likes to say. That cockiness comes from you because on my own I am unsure of myself and typically insecure."

Hiding his grin in her hair even though the blindfold keeps her from seeing it, he waits on her to continue.

"So my theory is you want me near you and miss my presence when I am gone because you are being molded or even possibly manipulated by the positive energy that is my piece in the journal."

Thinking that over Tom frowns before deciding to ask for clarification on her meaning.

"So you think that my…feelings…are not my own but a manipulation of your energy?"

Shaking her head no against his chest, she tilts her head up so that he can see her face. Sliding the tie off of her eyes she looks at him eye to eye.

"No I think my energy is manipulating the curse that keeps you from having feelings so that you are able to feel what you were meant to feel as a normal teenage boy. I think it is allowing you to recognize and have that feeling instead of keeping it locked completely out of your reach."

Raising his eyebrow at her in a mocking fashion, he gives her his boyish grin.

"Does that mean that you do use that nickname to distance yourself because you do miss me?"

Releasing a scoffing noise that turns into a chuckle as she rolls her eyes, HG sits up and turns to look him in the eye on an even level.

"Yes TJ…that's what it means. I enjoy talking to you and spending time with you. I want to be around you all the time and I miss you to the point that it sometimes makes my chest ache when I can't talk to you the moment I want to."

"So you care about me then?"

Giving him a droll look, HG sits back on her butt and crosses her legs as she deadpans her answer.

"Yes baby boy…I care about you. Arsehole Bastard."

Without any warning a laugh climbs up from his stomach and spills out of his mouth before he can even think to contain it. The shock and awe that spills onto HG's face only prolongs the laugh until he has to hold his sides from the ache. Once he finally calms down and wipes a stray tear that managed to escape he glances at HG only to see her scowling at him.

"What?"

"Never…ever do that again!"

Confused and getting a little angry now, he crosses his arms and glares at her.

"And why is that. Too creepy to see your nemesis laughing and having a moment of true amusement?"

"No…"

Moving up to her knees, HG leans forward and plants a small kiss on his cheek before standing all the way. The feel of her lips causes the rest of his body to freeze up as his head moves to follow her movement.

"It's not creepy at all. I don't think I have ever seen a more handsome boy as you on any normal day. You truly laughing and smiling and meaning it…you are irresistibly gorgeous."

Stepping back another quick step as he stands and reaches for her, HG shakes her head and closes her hand into a fist to signal she is about to leave.

"Not yet Tom…I'm not ready to admit I care for you enough to give in to the look in your eyes right now. Talk to you soon. And thank you for listening to me and caring enough to want to know."

Forcing his body to relax, Tom gives her another boyish grin and nods his head is farewell. As she vanishes from sight and he opens his eyes in his bed he can still feel the satisfaction thrumming inside him that she really is now officially…his.


	8. Chapter 8-A Tale of Souls

**Greetings all my fellow Tomione fans!**

**At the request of Moon, I decided to update this story first this week. So not only did she get me to write a part 2 for 'Darkly' but she also managed to slyther her way into a new chapter for her birthday fic too. Salazar I love you to pieces Moon-y lol.**

**As I said before, though I am trying to stick to cannon things when it suits the story and when I can, things will be changing as this is a time travel fic of sorts and any time you mess with time...wonky things can happen. I was asked many questions recently and I am starting to explain them in this chapter. I plan to continue to speed towards the ending of this fic as it is already going to longer than I originally planned. Of course, this chapter did not get as far as it was supposed to either soooo you are going to get another extra chapter out of this one...dang those pesky characters!**

**And since I had some trolling 'guest' decide to try to be a jerk about OOC stuff on 'Darkly' I will say this for all those trolls out there. If a fanfiction story is written after cannon or changes things that happen in cannon...guess what...it becomes an AU and can then be OOC. I am not trying to write JKR's story...it's my own idea with her world as the frame work. That means if I decide to make Severus sweet or Hermione evil or Ron not at all a jerk...I will...duh! If the only thing you have to say is 'Oh boo hoo you didn't stick to cannon, your characters are OOC, or that is not how it should be written' you are on the WRONG site! This is FAN FICTION...that means the fans take the story and make it whatever they wanted it to be. So stay off my story if you don't like my plot lines!**

**For everyone else who has been supportive and so very awesome...thank you again so much. I have had a lot of fun writing this and I am glad that so many have found it to be entertaining and taken it for what it is...my story in her frame work. All my Slytherin love!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom set his book bag down on the table with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to tell HG what he had learned and how he had figured out she was not so different from him. He knew she would probably be agitated at first because she was trying to stop him from going down such a dark path but he had to do this at least once to make sure he was connected to her…right?

Pulling out the journal, he ran his hand over the cover where he had etched designs in using magic. If anyone looked at the journal all they would see was a random series of lines and swirls and patterns that made a masculine and sleek abstract imagine. The only way to see what the patterns truly were was to have his magical signature so that the designs would highlight. Inside each section of the design were multiple etchings of HG's face in different expressions. He thought it was probably the most Hufflepuff and disgustingly poetic thing he had ever done. But she was his future lady and was worth every bit of softness he could dig up from his black soul.

Setting the journal almost reverently on the table, Tom pulled out his quill and ink well and nibbled on the feather end before putting tip to parchment. He wanted to make sure he worded this just right to get her attention.

* * *

HG

Good evening my little lioness. I have just come from the first Slughorn get together of this year and I found out some very detailed information. It sheds some interesting and intriguing light on you as well as on my future self. Do you wish to discuss it through writing or in person?

Baby Boy-TJ-TMRJ-Tom

Waiting for her to get a moment to answer, Tom started on his out of class assigned essays with excitement swirling in his veins. He had several other important projects he was going to be working on that dealt with HG but he had to make sure he also kept up with his school work. It would not due to fall behind in any of his subjects as he now had a goal to receive head boy by his seventh year.

His fourth year had started off nicely with a pat on the back from Slughorn while discussing the new Slug Club for this term and the fact that if he kept up the good work he would be top choice for the male prefect of his class next year. It had just kept going from there with all of his teacher's welcoming him back and always giving him praise for his intelligence and for helping others who were struggling. It was really too easy to fool them all.

Losing himself in his assignments, Tom jumped in surprise when the journal warmed quicker and hotter than it ever had before. Setting down his quill and moving his still wet essay, Tom opened to the page he was on and read her hastily scrawled handwriting.

_What did you do! I told you already every time you asked that it was something you would read about but to go no farther if you really wanted to keep me safe! You were not supposed to ask bloody idiot Slughorn for more information but let it go or talk to me first. Damn it Tom! Am I truly wasting my time here…with you? Because I suddenly feel like that is exactly what the last few years have been…a futile waste of time. Why? Why did you have to ignore that one thing over all the others you have listened and agreed to? Why Tom?_

He knew not only by her words but the smudges that were in some of the lettering that she must have been crying on her end while writing. He wasn't sure exactly how he was going to fix this but the lead that now felt like it was sitting on his chest and the hollow ache that was radiating from deep within let him know he had no choice but to make her talk to him so he could fix this.

HG…I didn't do anything yet. All I did was get clarification on my questions from a source I trust. I know he is an idiot for telling me and he is quite easy to manipulate into doing what I want but I truly just wanted to understand more about these…artifacts…before talking to you. I wanted to make sure you did not try to hold out information from me on this.

Can you blame me?

How many times have you not told me something because it was not a 'good' idea for me to know? What did you expect me to do? I am just as thirsty for knowledge as you are…maybe more so as I am willing to delve into the dark arts as well. But would you really be content knowing snippets of information when you need the entire story to know how to change it? I am trying to keep you safe which means I need to know what the hell it is I did to become such a ruthless monster that would hurt you in the first place. Damn it HG! Your anger is not fair!

_Fair! What the hell does fair have to do with this Tom Riddle? You are basically going to try to…fuck it never mind! I can't do this right now. I have to get to detention with the Toad so she can use illegal magical shit on me too in order to keep me in my mudblood place where I belong. I will see you tonight when you sleep. We will talk about it then._

Wait HG! What illegal magical shit? What are you talking about? They are letting someone at the school hurt you?

DAMN IT…talk to me!

Fine…tonight…

* * *

By the time curfew arrived, Tom was in such a bad mood that every one of his knights had deserted him to his temper. He couldn't say that he blamed them really. He had thrown a book at Avery's head and had cast several hexes at Rosier and Mulciber. He had even pretty much ended the stupid fantasy Lucretia Black had been harboring that she would end up as his witch.

The glares he received from the other Slytherin girls had only set his temper higher as they raised their noses in his direction before following a sobbing Lucretia into her dorm. What did she expect though when she was constantly underfoot? He didn't need a lap dog or a pet or a silly, simpering pureblood sycophant…he needed a partner, an equal…he needed HG!

Finally giving up on reading ahead for his Dark Arts class, Tom gathered his things and headed for the dorm. No sense wasting time trying to do something that was proving to be futile. Maybe HG would be free soon and he would get to talk to her. He wanted to know what she had meant by this illegal magic and the punishment she received during detention!

Getting ready for bed, Tom crawled into his bed and lay down with a huff. His agitation was not going to let him sleep and he could only hope the magic was strong enough to pull him in even if he was awake.

* * *

What felt like hours had passed and not one tingle of magic. Checking the time on his pocket watch that Malfoy gave to him as part of his apology, Tom groaned and rolled over. It was already two in the morning. Why had she not contacted him yet? His agitation turned to worry as he wondered if this Toad of a teacher was someone on his future roster of minions that might kidnap his HG and take her to the evil him. She had said her capture had been ordered. Had she been taken? Was she right this moment in her present time being tortured or hurt in some way?

Just as he was about to get out of bed in order to try to pace some of this worried energy away he felt a slight buzz in the air around his head and a falling sensation before he closed his eyes from the nausea. Opening them again as the world stopped spinning, he realized he was laying on a bed similar to his except there were red and gold curtains drawn around it and a lion emblem stitched into the fabric.

Turning his head he meet the puffy eyes of HG and knew this was not going to be a fun conversation to have in the least. Sitting up he put his back against the head board and moved just so until his body was against hers from his shoulder to his foot. Keeping his eyes straight ahead he waited to see where she wanted to start.

He could feel her eyes on him and after what felt like another eternity, HG's voice finally washed over him in a tone of desolation and pain.

"Why didn't you trust me when you finally found the book on horcruxes? I thought we had gotten at least that far in our relationship as you just love to call it. How am I ever supposed to trust you now when you proved yet again that nothing has truly changed with you?"

Gritting his teeth to wait out his initial need to get angry, Tom took a few calming breaths before giving her an answer.

"Honestly…I do not have a good enough excuse for you to justify my behavior. I wanted to know more and I had questions I didn't think you would answer…at least not fully the way I knew Slughorn would. I had a feeling in this you would hold as much of the information close to the chest as you do any other topic that revolves around something evil or dangerous that I have already done in your time. I wanted a full answer with no qualifiers so I asked someone else. Was I wrong in my thinking?"

Feeling her shutter against him as if she were crying, Tom jerked his head around to look at her. The tears that were falling down her face were like tiny needles that pierced his chest one by one until the pain from the ache became almost unbearable.

"Fuck HG please stop crying…please…I'm sorry!"

Losing the reign on his temper, Tom throws back the curtain and jerks up off the bed to stand and stare down at her.

"You don't control me you know. I am not your fucking pet to tell what to do and just expect me to wag my tail and obey you!"

For the first time ever he watched as her sorrow turned to absolute rage and for a moment it was like looking at his own eyes in a mirror. HG rolled across the bed and as she stood she shoved him in the chest so hard he stumbled back a couple of steps in shock.

"You are such a sadistic, selfish arsehole! I'm not trying to control you Tom! I'm trying to help you! At this point I don't know what the future holds anymore and I'm scared! I'm scared for my friends! I'm scared for my parents and myself! I'm scared of all of your death eaters who keep trying to kill us or torture us into insanity for the amusement of it!"

Her voice hitting a mixed pitch of terrified and raging, HG stepped forward until she could poke him with each exclamation of her fear. As she drags in a ragged breath and her face crumbles in pain, she slides to the floor and wraps her arms around herself.

Her next words come out in a harsh whisper and the words almost physically shove his anger from his mind.

"I'm scared of how much I care about you knowing in the end it may not matter and I am going to still be tortured and killed by you or one of your people while my heart has betrayed my logic and become yours…"

Blinking to try to clear his mind of the confusion that is now front and center in his head, Tom slowly lowers to the ground, putting one leg under him to sit on and bracing himself up with the other.

Her head lifts to look at him and the stark fear and anguish on her face causes his heart to skip a beat before picking up a faster rhythm.

"I'm not crying because you asked Slughorn and I'm not even really mad that you did. I'm upset that I didn't gain your trust enough for you to think you could come to me first to get answers or talk. You say I won't talk to you as if I have a choice. I don't Tom…I'm not in control of this mission in the end."

Rubbing her hands down her face to wipe away the tears, Tom growls in anger as he sees the scarred over words that are etched into her hand: _I will know my place._

"What the fuck it that?"

Pulling her hand to him, he gently runs his thumb under the angry red words before raising his head to wait on an answer.

"It's my punishment from the Toad. She makes us all write sentences she chooses with a blood quill. Since I seem not to know my place as a filthy, lowlife mudblood I had to write that I will know my place 150 times throughout my hour of detention. I only managed to get half way through so I have another one tomorrow night…"

"And Dumbledore allows this?"

Her rueful smile makes him worry what she is about to say.

"He doesn't really have a choice in the matter. Technically by the by-laws of school punishment they are not against the rules. Right now the ministry is basically trying to cover up that you are a threat again by going after the school and Dumbledore and my friend HP for saying you are. We are pretty sure you have infiltrated the top people in the ministry and have them under Imperio so they are really just puppets at this point."

Standing and bending down to lift her up into her arms, Tom grimaces at the tense way HG holds her body as he walks them back to her bed and climbs in to set her back in her spot.

"If I ask for her name will you give it to me?"

The look in her eyes lets him know that at this moment she would like nothing more than to hand the bitch over to his form of punishment but instead she just blows out a frustrated huff of air and shakes her head at him.

"Let's talk about what you found instead. It seems that not only are we both changing in subtle ways temperament wise but things are moving faster on your side because of me as well as in my own time line."

"What do you mean moving faster?"

Closing her eyes for a moment, Tom can feel the magic gather around them before he drops into a comfortable plush chair on one side and she appears in an identical one in front of him. Raising her feet she slides them under the cushion below him and makes herself cozy.

"By everything we have here, you are supposed to make your first horcrux right before you start your fifth year. You also ask Slughorn about horcruxes at the very beginning of school that same year…1942 I believe it will be. So you asked him before you made one and a year early. The attack that happened to me at the Ministry happened several months too early by the information we were given. Things are moving out of order or out of time; however you wish to look at it. It has to be because you and I know each other and talk the way we do. Nothing else has really changed that we know of."

"Who is we and how do you have information about what is going to happen to your time line before it happens?"

Her grimace makes him even more curious and he leans forward to wrap his hands around her calves as he waits for an answer.

"Another journal that was given to Dumbledore and passed on to another trusted member of our Order. He gets the information from his source and it is passed on to me when it is relevant to my talks with you."

Gently running his hand from the back of her knees down to the back of her ankles and back up repeatedly, Tom cuts his eyes to the ceiling as he lets that sink it.

"So there is another person in the future who is leading all of you on this path and you are all just going along with it?"

Her grimace says she is in complete agreement with him.

"We were told that the identity was verified beyond a shadow of a doubt and that the entity could be trusted. From there several of us were brought in a room to discuss what needed to happen and in the end there was no one but me that met all the criteria for this mission. I was not originally even on the list of possible candidates to meet you. My role next to your rival was considered more important until they realized that if anyone was going to be able to match you thought for thought and be witty, stubborn, and compassionate at the same time…it was me."

His hands involuntarily gripped her legs tighter for a moment as the thought that he might never have met her crosses his mind. He relaxes as he lets his boyish grin flash.

"I started to get upset but of course it had to be you and it was always going to be you HG. No one else is my equal in the entirety of the magical world. Though knowing you still willingly side with my enemy over me should upset me…but I understand."

Her smile is slow in answer but when it comes it is both shy and grateful.

"You mean if you had your choice to have another witch in here with you that you could possibly scare into compliance or boss around…you would still want me?"

"That would be an unequivocal…yes."

Her smile turned beaming and with a satisfied feeling in his core, Tom sits back and pulls her feet into his lap.

"Speaking of horcruxes HG…they are considered to be the most dark and evil magic. How did they convince you to make one? You seem too pure and too…good…to have willingly killed another person."

Her lip falls victim to her teeth again and Tom starts to move to reach for it when she realizes it and lets it go.

"I didn't make a horcrux per say."

His brows furrowing in confusion, Tom stills his hands movement as he tilts his head to the side.

"But you said a part of you was inside the book and that was how we were able to connect. If not a horcrux…then what?"

Lip under teeth…she shifts her gaze nervously away from him for a moment before sighing and covering her eyes with her hands.

"I sort of…I mean…well they decided…"

Her growl of embarrassment and frustration vibrates the air as her magic spikes with it. Tom fells that vibration stir in his blood and he has to restrain himself from reaching for her. Her anger always seemed to get under his skin.

"They…that is the Order of fucking idiots…needed to make sure that I had complete control of my magic in here in case you decided you hated me. At first it was suggested I make a horcrux but I refused because as you said…I could not possibly kill someone."

The stubborn set of her jaw as she waited for some sort of insult from him made his blood heat up more and he let the heat show in his smile and in his eyes. Watching her face fall as her breath catches on a gasp, Tom makes sure to linger with his eyes over her body in a predatory manner before locking back on to her wide, surprised eyes.

"So what did this Order of fucking idiots have you do then?"

Sighing, HG sat up more and pulled her feet into her chair before wrapping her arms around her bent knees.

"They had me do a bonding spell with the piece of your soul that you put in the journal. I have no idea where the hell such a ritual was found and it hurt like hell but they said it was the only way to make sure it all worked the way they wanted. What they did not explain was the side effects it would have on you or me in the long run…"

Sitting up straight as the humor left his face and another surge of possessiveness washed over him, Tom looked into her eyes for a long moment to make sure there was no subterfuge there before letting the predator in him free to stake its claim.

"You do realize that if they used the ritual I think they used...it makes you my wife."


	9. Chapter 9-Trust Given

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**For all of the wonderful reviews and the laughs you all gave me with your astonishment...I just had to give you another chapter. Also...to be fair...I not only left you all hanging there at the end but my own brain which then thought about this story all night long and into sleep. Quite irritating that was. :P**

**This one ended up longer than I expected and I was looking back over my original outline and by this point I was supposed to be in 7th year. So you can tell how off track this story has gotten since I am only in the beginning of his 4th year. Any information was pulled from multiple sites that were sent to me by Moon...thank you thank you thank you! All changes were on purpose because of the story. Hermione's age had me confused and I finally went back and checked by a time line written out and due to her birthday being in September and the way the years fall...she really is 17 (this includes time turner usage) by the end of her 5th year. Craziness right! It explains why she is so much more mature than the boys.**

**All credit to JKR for giving us this world to play in. I did use a line of directly from the book/movie and it is in _italics_ for you to see though you will ALL know it lol.**

**I hope you all enjoy as the story continues to move forward. On with the show!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

"WHAT? NO!"

Tom had to bite down on his tongue to keep from laughing as HG scrambled up and backwards over the back of the chair, turning sideways at the last minute to roll awkwardly off the chair and landing unsteadily on her feet. She was so flustered that she obviously forgotten she could just push him away from her with magic. His amusement must still have shown on his face however.

"You can wipe that stupid grin off your face too you bastard! I am not your bloody wife. How did you go from bound to a piece of soul from the future you to we are married?"

Slowly standing and feeling a smug satisfaction at her hitch of breath and the retreating step she started to take before she straightened her spine in defiance, Tom walked calmly around her chair and towards her until he was close enough that he could feel the warmth that radiated off her skin.

"There are very few binding rituals or ceremonies in the entirety of the wizarding world HG and almost every one of them is used in marriage ceremonies. With that knowledge it is only fair to draw the theoretical conclusion that you and I are married."

As her eyes widened and she went ahead and took that retreating step back as well as one extra, Tom followed slowly while trying to figure out what this new feeling was that was expanding inside him.

"There is no way they would have done that to me. It's ludicrous Tom!"

Continuing to match her step for step, Tom held his hands out in a non-threatening way to his sides.

"And why is that ludicrous my little flighty dove? They wanted you to get close to me, to gain my trust and my friendship so that you could hopefully turn the future around from my reign of terror correct?"

"Well yes…yes that was the mission but they would not have bound me in such a permanent way to the sliver of soul in the journal."

"I ask again…why dove? Why would they not have done that?"

The color drained slightly from her face as her breathing picked up in a staggered rhythm of anxiety and panic.

"Because….Oh Godric…because I wouldn't be married to you…it would bind me and basically make me the wife of Voldemort. They would not do that to me! Right? I am not that much of a sacrificial pawn…am I?"

As her panic seemed to rise, Tom stood stock still as he took in her words and the distress that they put her in. Her next whispered words had him moving in longer strides to her side to pull her into his arms.

"Oh Merlin…I'm really going to die before this is over."

At first she tried to resist and pull away from him but as the real possibility of what he said sank in to her, HG let out one terrified moan before falling apart in his arms. Her knees giving out, they both slid to the floor where Tom pulled her into his lap and rocked her gently, running his hand over her hand repeatedly and whispering calming nonsense to her. If asked what he had said even moments after it was over, he would not have been able to tell anyone. He just knew he had to try to reassure her and help her to feel safe while with him.

For once he was in no hurry to get answers to the questions swirling inside his mind. She felt so right in his arms and the longer he held her the more he realized that she fit into him perfectly…like two puzzle pieces. He had also come to realize the feeling in his chest was pride. Not his usual cocky 'I am better than thee' type of pride but a cleaner, more pure pride of knowing she was his not only in his thoughts but in actuality.

He didn't care about the technicalities of the soul she was bound to. In the very near future it WOULD be his soul. He just had to find the time to go do the necessary rituals and sacrifices to add his soul into the journal. He figured the only thing that would change was that he would be able to feel the bond they should have once he followed down that part of his future…past…very confusing concept…this time travel.

Looking down at her face as he realized it had gone silent he met her eyes as she stared up at him. He did his best to let the smile on his face portray reassurance and not any of his usual predatory expressions.

"Is it safe to ask questions and try to discuss this all with you now? I enjoy having you in my arms but I would prefer you be smiling and maybe offering a kiss then crying. Your tears are the first thing in my entire life that I can say actually hurts. I really do despise them!"

Her unladylike snort of amusement gave him a wash of relief as she sat up in his lap and then moved away from him to sit on what was now the grass of their meadow. He did not even realize she had changed the scenery which should have worried him. For him to be that distracted and involved in her was dangerous to say the least.

"Yes…ask away. I will answer everything I can to the best of my ability."

Raising an eyebrow, Tom mirrored the way she was sitting before leaning back on his hands.

"Everything? Isn't that a little broad of a statement for our particular arrangement dove?"

Her face fell slightly before a fire of determination swept into her eyes causing his blood to heat as well.

"No…no it's not. If they truly did that to me…which I am starting to think they may have actually done…then they see me as expendable. In the long run that may be true. What is my life to all the others? Does not mean I have to play by their rules anymore and walk right to my death like a lamb to slaughter! They think you changing is the key to saving our future so I am going to give you the means to change in any way I can!"

Realizing she was serious and that for once he may not be kept on the outside but pulled all the way in to the plan, Tom sat forward and even shifted until their knees were touching.

"Let's start with that name you used…Vold?"

A visible shiver made its way up her spine as she kept eye contact with him.

"In the future you call yourself Lord Voldemort. I think it was your sixth year, when you made the diary into your second horcrux, that you started to be called that by your Knights….though it could have been your seventh. If I remember the story correctly, it was because you refused to share your name with a 'filthy muggle' and found an anagram using the letters of your name to go by. Hence the birth of The Dark Lord…Lord Voldemort…the greatest dark wizard of all time. Your reign is considered to be more dark and brutal than even Grindelwald."

Blinking as that fact sank deep into his bones, Tom stood to pace as his mind ran faster with the implications of that.

"You said second like it was not my last. How many do I make?"

Her slight hesitation makes him look down at her to see her worrying her lip again. Just as he thinks that she is already going to back out of her commitment to telling him all, she sighs and looks back up at him.

"Seven…you make seven…though the seventh one is accidental. From the historical accounts we have, it is believed that you intended to make seven as you see or saw that as a powerful magical number. You had not gotten there because you also make your horcruxes out of things that have meaning to you and not just silly random items. Our guess is that you had not found a seventh item worthy to you to house the last bit of your soul. Of course it is also a theory that the seventh piece was whatever was left inside your body by the time you made the sixth."

Kneeling down on one knee in front of her and wrapping his arm around the other, Tom lets his frustration show on his face.

"How do you make an accidental horcrux…or rather how the bloody hell did I?"

"That takes some explaining. So be patient okay?"

At his nod, he settles back on the ground in front of her and watches her gather her thoughts.

"So…little is known about your life after Hogwarts. We know that you asked for the Defense against the Dark Arts teaching position at Hogwarts and Headmaster Dippet turned you down because he thought you were too young at the time. We know that for a while you worked for Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley until about 1957 when you disappeared. Many believed you went traveling in search of items that you would later to make into your horcruxes. That has since been proved wrong."

Closing her eyes, HG waves her hand and a tree appears behind them both and she leans back against hers.

"It's so weird…I know this is all an illusion I create to be here but my body still starts to feel like its sore from sitting too long in one position."

Her chuckle and subsequent shake of the head causes him to smile at her in affection.

"Where was I? Oh yes…what you were really doing which is cataloged by your followers later was searching for even darker arts to practice. You traveled the world learning as much about the dark arts as you could until when you returned you had been shaped by it all and were barely recognizable as you."

Summoning two glasses of water out of thin air, he watches the way her throat moves as she swallows and has the urge to put his mouth right there to feel the motion. Taking a drink from his own glass to keep his movements in check, he closes his eyes as the taste of strawberries hits his tongue. Looking from the water to her and back he raises an eyebrow.

"I figured if I had to drink to make this odd feeling subside…might as well make it taste like my favorite flavor."

Taking another sip, she sets the glass down mid-air and smiles as it calmly floats there.

"I think you came back in the late 1960's and went back to Hogwarts. This time Dumbledore is the headmaster and you apply for the DADA position again only to be told no…and I don't think he really gave you a fair or legitimate reason. At that point, I think the darkness probably radiated off of you and he didn't want you anywhere near the youth of our world. In retaliation you cursed the DADA position so that no one would be able to hold the position for more than a year unless you were hired. People always like to say it 'didn't work' and it 'wasn't the curse' but I can tell you this…no one has held that position for more than a year to date!"

"And what is the date by this point dove?"

Crossing her arms and really looking at him, HG nibbles her lip until it is red and puffy before replying.

"I am giving you every bit of my trust Tom…please don't break it."

The whispered plea pushes him into action as he shifts to lean forward with a hand on either side of her hips and he puts his brow against hers.

"I know that I am still darker than you would prefer and I know that the 'me' you know is an evil sociopath but I swear to you I will never intentionally break your trust. From this point on, I will discuss every move I want to make with you and we can talk it out until we at least come to an understanding…even if we can't agree. Is that acceptable?"

Her gentle smile and answering nod causes her breath to fan across his chin and lips and for a moment their eyes lock. The temptation to taste her is almost overwhelming but reminding himself that he wants her to ask for it he pulls on his control and shifts back to lean against his tree. The quick flash of disappointment that crosses her face makes him want to crow his victory but he remains stoic and calm on the outside.

"Once we leave the journal and I return it will be January 13th…1996."

The shock that whipped through him caused his breath to stall in his lungs and his skin to slick with a clammy feeling. In a broken whisper he asks the question he isn't sure he wants the answer to now.

"How old are you again?"

Her sadness bleeds into her eyes as she caresses his face with her gaze and she reaches forward to put a comforting hand on his ankle.

"By my birthday I turned sixteen in September of 1995. If you take into account the time turner I used in my third year at Hogwarts, I am technically seventeen."

"Are you telling me that I will be 52..almost 53...before you are ever even born?"

Her nod only seems to add fuel to the fire inside of him and in a fit of jealous rage he jerks his ankle out of her hand and pushes himself up to his feet. Turning with a jerk of his body he slams his right hand into the tree trunk followed by the left, back and forth before kicking it several times while screaming at the top of his lungs.

Just as he starts to lift his bleeding hands again to hit the tree, two small arms wrap around him holding his arms to his side. He can feel her shaking against him and forces himself to stay absolutely still so he doesn't scare her more.

"Do they keep me alive and young or just alive?"

His voice breaks from the amount of pressure he exerted while screaming and he has to clear his throat. Feeling one of the arms leave him he starts to turn before his glass appears in her hand held up to his face.

"They keep you alive…even when you no longer should be."

He takes a few deep gulps of the water before letting it go and watching it float.

"So I am an old man by the time we meet?"

Her shiver causes her entire body to brush up against him and he turns fully in her arms to look down into her face.

"No…you may have been if you had not gone digging into the darkest parts of our world and if you had not died and been brought back in an even darker ritual. I have not actually seen you for myself but HP tried to describe you to us when I woke up from the ministry battle. He said that you look like a monster…literally."

Her hands following as she describes what her friend saw makes Tom yearn to lean into her touch and at the same time disgusted and horrified at what she is painting in his mind about who he becomes.

"Your beautiful hair is gone. You are completely bald and he said that he doesn't think hair can grow at all now…anywhere on you. Your skin is white and almost translucent and looks like the skin from a smooth reptile like an albino python without the scales. The only blemishes to your skin are the thin dark lines that crawl across your skull as if the cracks from your soul are being displayed."

"Your eyes are an unholy red that gleam brighter and redder as you cast your dark magic. I was told by one of your minions who is also our spy that when you are not angry or casting that your eyes revert back to a crystal blue. Your nose is gone completely. In its place are two small slits like the nose of a snake. Your teeth are slightly pointed now and your lips are thin with a few of those dark lines branching off towards what should be your nose and down your chin. Your body is thin and frail and though you are the strongest wizard in power, to the eye you would seem weak if we did not know better."

Lifting his hand to stare at it before placing his fingers gently against her lips, she looks at him with tear filled eyes.

"Your lovely hands…which I admit I dream about on my skin…are tipped with sharp nails and can deliver more cruelty in a single act than most humans, magical or not, deliver in their entire lifetime. The ritual used to bring you back turned you from whatever bit of you was left after the dark magic search into a creature of nightmares. Even the way you speak is altered. Har…ry says that it sounds like hissing when you talk as if the snake traits became dominant. You speak and it whispers out like parseltongue but in English and it makes the hairs on your arm stand up. He didn't see it but he assumes you have a forked tongue like a snake as well. Though, that is just speculation right now."

Pulling on his occlumency to keep his temper contained, Tom takes her hands in his and places them back on his face. Closing his eyes, he presses them as close as he can without hindering his ability to talk.

"I have questions but I need to hear the rest. Continue with the story dove."

"We don't know exactly when but it was sometime in 1970 you began your assault on the wizarding and muggle world. It started with random disappearances of people both magical and muggle alike. No one was safe from your band of Death Eaters. They were fanatics and you were their master. Whatever you wanted they did. Muggleborns, half-bloods, even purebloods were found tortured and brutally murdered in their homes. Everyone assumed the purebloods were because they refused to join your fight and did not buy into the mudblood/muggle hating propaganda. You basically replaced Grindelwald in your pursuit for power but killed a lot more innocent people along the way."

"I do not know when exactly but somewhere in the end of the 70's or the beginning of the 80's you gain a spy in the Order of the Phoenix…the group I fight with against you and yours. A prophecy comes about in 1980 which is brought to you…a decision that particular soldier has regretted since the day it happened…and set your death in motion. The gist is that the one who can defeat you is about to be born and you will mark him as your equal. _One must die at the hands of the other for neither can live while the other survives_…or something to that nature."

Rolling her eyes, she runs her hands through his hair and down his face only to go back up and repeat the process.

"I personally cannot stand divination as you know so if it had been me, I would have ignored it entirely and moved on. You took it to heart and in the age old saying it became 'a self-fulfilling prophecy'. If you had just walked away from it you may never have died that day and created the accidental horcrux. One we are not even supposed to know about for a few years but the other person with a journal…Professor Snape…he tells me things that Dumbledore keeps from us to make sure I am not ignorant."

Sitting down and leaning back against the tree, HG pulled him down so that he had his head in her lap and was lying between her legs. Wrapping his arms around one of her legs he closed his eyes and drifted to her voice and her hands in his hair.

"In October of 1981, you seal your own doom the first time by using information you acquired from said spy to go and attack the family who had the baby that was meant to be your death…"

"This Harry fellow you love like a brother I presume."

Her hand still for a moment at Harry's name and then continue to stroke his head.

"Yes. There were two babies born in the correct month and I think no matter which you had chosen to attack you would have created or rather marked that baby as your equal. You killed his dad first as he tried to protect his wife and young son. When you went after Harry, his mother threw herself in front of him to take the killing curse. Dumbledore believes that act awoke ancient magic only given to mothers to protect their children. Whatever it was, when you cast the killing curse at Harry it rebounded off some invisible shield back at you. You were utterly destroyed in that moment…at least your body was. No one knows if it was your magic reacting to death or an involuntary response or even magic itself following the prophecy but a part of you rebounded and sunk into Harry. I now know that it is a part of your soul and that he is now a living, breathing horcrux."

Turning over onto his back to meet her eyes, he ran his hand up and down the outside of her leg to ease her shaking.

"And what became of me from there. How did I end up in a new if not deformed body and terrorizing the wizarding world again?"

"Really long story short…you became a sort of phantom or wraith. You fed off the blood of other beings including unicorns until you had enough substance to you to attach yourself to a living host. You called a few select members to you to help and once you had everything in place, you had them perform the ritual that gave you back a body. You have been attempting to kill Harry and Dumbledore ever since. Your followers are even more insane now and the death toll and the torture has risen in the past few years."

"I was told I had until the end of my sixth year to try to give you a reason to change what you were going to do. I was asked to befriend you and they believed that I might be able to intrigue you enough to get you to listen. What they did not tell me was that my soul being bound to yours would cause the feelings I have developed or that being in possession of what is basically my horcrux for lack of a better word would have such a profound effect on your emotions as well. Now I am not sure what to do or even what is going to happen from here."

Hermione decided to keep silent at this point. She had given him a lot to think about and more knowledge about his future than she was ever supposed to divulge. Her only hope was that he would fortify her belief in his newfound heart and not betray her trust by turning on them.

For Tom, the whirlwind of information was astounding. Somehow in all his planning and scheming he had manage to lose sight of whatever it was he was trying to do and gone off the deep end of the ley line. No wonder she had been afraid of him and considered him a threat…he was! Now he had to figure out how he was going to change and in what ways.

"I think we should call it quits for now HG. You have given me a lot to think about my little dove and I do not want to try to rush through it in order to give you an answer or even start formulating a plan in the amount of time we have left. I am sure my alarm will be going off soon and I need to act as normal as I can until we get through this."

Giving him a soft smile and nodding her head, HG leans forward and places a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Take all the time you need Tom. As far as I can tell, the time difference has not changed over much in the past 3 or so years we have been conversing. We have no idea how the magic works really so there is no way for me to know what is to come. Time magic is a fickle and tricky creature."

Reaching up he runs his thumb along her cheek before sitting up and turning to face her.

"I know that I said I would wait on you and I know that I am technically three years younger but I no longer care. As far as I am concerned you are my wife."

Putting his finger over her lips to stop her from commenting, he gives her a self-deprecating smile.

"Let me have my own fantasies yeah?"

Huffing and rolling her eyes, HG finally agrees and with that head nod, Tom feels that ache fill his chest and bloom into something warm and almost unbearably comfortable.

Reaching up and placing his hand on the back of her neck, Tom pulls her to him and gently places his lips against hers in a chaste kiss.

"Until next time…Lady Riddle?"

Her astonished burst of laughter has another smile trying to crawl on to his face but he refrains.

"Until next time Lord Riddle."

Her eyes on his, she closes and reopens her hand and is gone. Unlike times before, Tom continues to sleep and for the first time he can remember he dreams…about chestnut hair across his skin and honey eyes looking into his as she drags her body along his, skin to skin.


	10. Chapter 10-In Reality

**Greetings my fellow fanfictionatics!**

**It seems I was able to get another chapter done and though I did not get all I planned out (big surprise there) I think it turned out pretty okay. I hope that I explained what I wanted to explain well enough that it makes sense. I re-read it several times and it seemed like it did but I guess your reviews will tell all lol.**

**This chapter got away from me near the end. I had not planned what is coming at all but it sort of just happened and fit so I let it stay. Still not sure how I feel or where my own emotions sit right at the moment. I try to get into the characters heads when I am writing so I can really feel their motivation so I am a little...well you will see.**

**I will be working on both stories more today and tomorrow and maybe even over the weekend on my daughter's laptop. Who knows maybe I can make some progress on getting closer to the end. Hope you all like the chapter. See you in the review section lol.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes and after letting her mind right itself from the magic she rolled out of her bed with a growl and slide into her trainers. Her temper was steadily rising and though she knew a part of that was because she was so in tuned now to the piece of Voldemort she was attached to, she decided this time it was okay to let her temper have its way. Somehow she was going to find a way to kill that meddling old man.

Gathering up the journal and her wand, Hermione quietly left her dorm mates sleeping and headed down the stairs and out of the portrait hole without a backward glance. Disillusioning herself, she headed down all the many stairs towards the dungeon and her only true confident in this whole endeavor. She was pretty sure he wouldn't be asleep…he never really was anymore.

Taking multiple short cuts through hidden tunnels and alcoves to avoid Filch, Hermione arrived at the door to his private office a short ten minutes later. Pulling her anger in enough to knock gently on the door, she waited to see if tonight was one of those rare nights he was sleeping or if he was up just like she was. At the quite but stern 'Enter' she knew that like herself…he was not sleeping tonight either.

Opening and calmly shutting the door, Hermione kept her back to the room for a moment as she tried to gather her thoughts. Now that she was here, her anger was not the foremost winner for her emotional upheaval. As the first tear fell, she turned to her Professor with a forlorn look as she leaned back against the door.

"Did you know what it meant when he did that ritual to tie my soul to the horcrux? Was I the only stupid and naïve one to not realize what it meant?"

Her voice came out more hoarse and cracked from her tears then she meant it to and as he stood to come around the desk she cleared her throat to try to make it go away.

"I'm not sure exactly what you are asking Miss Granger but if you will elaborate like I know you can then I will do my best to answer your questions."

His voice a deep, soothing baritone caused Hermione to close her eyes and another tear to fall. The gently brush of his dragon hide boots sliding across the floor as he walked her way made her want to smile. For such a tall and imposing man, he moved like a thief in the night, almost perfectly silent. She wondered if he had a spell on his boots to help with that.

"I just got back from seeing Tom. He found the book on Horcruxes early and already asked Slughorn about it. We discussed it like I promised him we would and after explaining my part in the journal, he turned almost smug."

Opening her eyes to look up in the dark eyes of Professor Snape, she ran her tongue over her dry lips before wiping the tears off her face and taking a deep breath. The man really had trouble dealing with upset females and she did not want to be another burden on his plate.

"He said that there were very few rituals that could bond two souls that way and the only ones he really knew of were part of marriage ceremonies. He basically…"

Swallowing as a lump formed in her throat and tears rushed to her eyes again, Hermione tried to breathe slowly but the rush of air in her panic made that hard to do. A second later she was pulled into the warm embrace of her handler and could do nothing but let the tears fall as she spoke her fears into his shirt covered chest.

"He said that the Order made me his wife so that the process would work and I would have such an inclination to care about him. He is even calling me Mrs. Riddle now."

Looking up into the blank face of her Professor, Hermione gripped his shirt tightly in her hands as she tried to calm her mind.

"Is that true? Was that the ritual Dumbledore used to bind me to the journal and the piece of his soul? Am I married to that monster?"

His black eyes continued to stare into hers until she felt like she was falling. Taking what felt like a deep breathe before her head went under water, Hermione could see the memory of the ritual play out in her mind's eye several times and each time that it did she caught more and more of the words used. She had forgotten most of it in the drunken haze that the ritual had caused but now that she could see it with a clear mind she knew that Tom had been telling the truth. With blood and magic and ancient rites, their fearless leader had tied her soul for all eternity to a monster in the most sacred of unions.

The tears poured down her face as the feeling of being under water let up and she was once again staring into Professor Snape's eyes.

"I am sorry Miss Granger. I was not present for that ritual on purpose. I did not agree with what he was doing and I refused to be party to such a selfish and despicable act. I threatened to tell you exactly what was coming and he ordered me not to. I did not have a choice at that point."

Nodding as she laid her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, Hermione just stood there and let his strength seep into her bones. If any student or other teacher could see them, the first thing anyone would assume was that he was someone Poly-Juiced to look like Severus Snape. No one but Hermione and Albus knew the true man inside and she was pretty sure at this point even Albus did not truly know.

"Not that I condone what has happened but I thought that you and Tom were getting along fairly well now. Why did this part upset you so much after everything else that has happened and been done?"

She took a deep breath before stepping back and walking around to sit down on his office couch. Waiting until he settled next to her knee to knee, Hermione faced him and with fidgeting hands she confessed the one thing she had yet to say out loud.

"I…I am pretty sure that I am in love with him…"

The sharp intake of air through his nose was the only indication that Professor Snape had a reaction to her statement but like the good spy that he was he waited for the conclusion to that sentence.

"If it was truly him I was bound to then I wouldn't care…in the least. But it's not is it?"

Dragging her eyes up to meet his which were slowly filling with understanding and a touch of horror, she let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Exactly…now you understand. I am not bound in marriage to Tom Riddle, adorable, confused, slightly dark but completely possessive and protective 15 year old Tom Riddle. I am bound to a torturing, murdering, off his rocker sociopath who would rather drain my dirty blood or feed me to his snake then care about me."

Sitting back and crossing his arms, which did not look near as intimidating without his frock coat and teaching robes, Professor Snape ran his finger back and forth along his bottom lip as he let that thought stew in his mind.

"I guess that depends on which time theory you believe in Miss Granger."

At her confused but curious look, the Professor moved until he could lean on the arm of the couch and brought one leg up with one of his arms thrown over the back. Hermione had never seen him look so relaxed and for a moment her heart stuttered with a pulse of desire before she shook it off.

"There are many theories out there for time travel and altering time and so on. There are three main ones that are fairly popular with the community that studies and researches time travel both in the magical and muggle world."

Pausing to wave his hand and summon the firewhiskey from his mantel and two glasses, he wandlessly pours each of them a drink before setting the bottle down on his desk and continuing after a deep pull from his glass.

"The first is that no matter what you do in the past to try to change the future, it will always play out the exact same in the end…meaning you can't change it at all. For example, let's say you wanted to go back and stop Harry from losing his parents. You travel back in time in whatever manner you see fit, you warn them about Peter and how they die. They trust Sirius like they should have from the start. Several years pass and while they are out doing who knows what…maybe even at Kings Cross to see Harry off to Hogwarts, the Dark Lord shows up and kills them all again and it causes the same result. James and Lily would be dead and Harry would be marked as his equal with the scar on his forehead. The only thing that changed is the time and place but not the catalytic results. Does that make sense?"

Hermione nodded her head and took a small sip of her drink before coughing at the burn as it slide down her throat and into her stomach. His deep chuckle caused her watering eyes to widen in surprise before she had to close them and try to breath.

"This stuff is awful! How in Godric's name do you drink it?"

"I don't drink it in Godric's name. I drink it in Salazar's. Makes it slither down much smoother."

His sneered reply causes her to choke on a breath and she sets the glass down as she starts a laughing/coughing fit that takes a few minutes to subside.

"Did you….just…make a joke?"

His barely there nod was enough to have Hermione lifting the glass again and tipping it in his direction.

"Well then here's to Salazar Slytherin and his apparently witty Potion's Master."

The sip went down slightly smoother this time and as she forced back the cough she had to admit that she felt much calmer now.

"Now that we are done toasting the dead founder men, let us continue."

She smothered her laugh in another sip and leaned back on the opposite side of the couch to mimic his position.

"The second theory is that when you alter a major event in a time line, you do not alter your own time line but create an entirely new time line. In our case, if this were to work then you would not chance anything about our Tom Riddle but you would create a new time line where your Tom Riddle goes on to not be a dark wizard hell bent on world domination and that time line would have a different outcome to their future then a war like we are in now."

Nodding her head as he explained, Hermione sat forward as he continued.

"The third and final theory, the one Dumbledore is putting his twinkling eyes on is that when you alter something fixed and huge in the past on a time line, such as changing Tom's mind about becoming the Dark Lord, you destroy the future or in our case present and you create a brand new one. It's like taking an eraser to the board filled with all your chalk white notes and wiping it clean."

Her brow furrows and she bites on her lip as she thinks. She jolts out of her reverie as a soft finger pulls her lip out from between her teeth the same way Tom does and as she looks up she meets the heated gaze of her potions Professor and freezes under the intense desire in his eyes.

Seeming to catch his actions, she watches as Professor Snape closes his eyes and lets a slow breathe out through his nose. Opening his eyes she can see he pulled his walls back up and the confusion on her face must have deepened because his sigh is one of irritation.

"I apologize Miss Granger. I find like you my bond to my own journal has caused some unforeseen consequences on my end as well. We are quite a pair of misused pawns, you and I, and it seems we suffer many of the same ailments now."

Pulling her lip back under her teeth, only to watch his eyes smolder again while looking at her mouth, Hermione quickly releases it and shivers.

"Do you plan to explain that to me Professor or is it yet another thing I will be kept in the dark about?"

Looking at her as if he is trying to see into her soul he seems to come to a decision and waves his hand again. His journal which looks almost identical to the one she has only in black floats slowly over to him. He opens it to a blank page and summoning a self-inking quill he puts tip to parchment.

My love…I may have slipped in keeping our secret as she was biting that infernal lip again! As I am forbidden to 'speak' of it out loud I thought it would be amusing to let you say hello instead.

_Severus! You and your obsession with my lips is going to be the death of us both. You were supposed to be focusing on the next meeting and not on my younger self's lips…_

_Wait why are you with HG? Did something happen?_

She figured out the bonding ritual and what it meant and was understandably upset. I was talking to her about time theories and she bit her lip and out of habit I reached over to pull it free. It was not intentional I assure you!

_Ob…viously! Or I would be very unhappy with you. Well then I guess if the cat is out of the bag so to speak then I should say hello. _

Indeed

_That is not fair. I can hear your tone when you do that and I am not free to see you tonight you git! Give HG the quill…sneaky, sexy Slytherin!_

His deep laugh surprised her and Hermione jumped slightly as she looked at his face in awe. For a moment he was not Professor Snape, the dark and angry order spy who glowered and sneered at everyone. He was a man laughing at being called names in obvious affection by a woman that brightened his day. He looked younger and less severe and for a moment she felt her heart pick up speed again.

He placed the journal in her lap and handed her the quill and the moment she touched the page she felt like she was…home. That was the only word for it.

_Hello HG. I know this must all be so confusing to you and I am sorry that Severus cannot seem to keep his hands to himself over the lip thing. It's a serious breech in his position with you but please do forgive him…it's an adorable flaw. I figure since you are me and we are smart that you would realize I am an older version of you. In meetings the old bastard refers to me as HS…Hermione Snape. We had the same ritual happen so we are bound the same as you and snake face. I am sorry for that but after Sev and I figured out what it could do to help…I admit I was the one to suggest it to Dumbles._

Wait! I am bound to that sociopath because you…I…suggested it? Why?

_The bond forces the two involved to feel the others feelings and learn to adapt to that. For Severus and I, we learned to not only trust each other but we fell in love. Both of us are smart enough to know that it will never go further than this journal. No matter which theory is correct, we are never going to be together in my time line. But we did learn how powerful the connection could become. I was hoping that it would help not only distract snake face which apparently it is doing, but that it may help save your life if he is confused about you._

How is this possible? Are you the 'contact' that Dumbledore is always talking about that feeds us information to help win the war? He and Professor Snape are always telling Harry and Ron and I that we can trust the source…that they are reliable. Are you the source?

_Yes…I am the original contact for this whole plan. And yes they have verified in multiple ways that it is me (you) before trusting anything that I said. Unlike your journal, this one is my horcrux. I made it after I killed a rogue death eater several years ago. When everything went wrong, we all had to change our morals and our views to try to survive. I had a run in with a seer of great power. I know you are rolling your eyes but she was the real thing. She showed me how to possibly fix things. It was with her help that I made the journal, saved the horcrux from destruction from your first year, and started all of this. The details are complicated and not important. What is important is stopping the future before it happens._

_I did calculation after calculation and I finally figured out that if we were to stop the Dark Lord from ever becoming Lord Voldemort then we could hopefully alter the future. Any other changes were not dramatic enough to make a difference. So with help from some very powerful people, we put this mission in motion and here we are. I cannot give you details because I do not want to alter or affect your decisions as you move forward but I will say this…we are a dying breed in the future HG. Not muggle-borns or blood traitors…all magical kind. From wizards and witches to the fae and werewolves and vampires, etc. We are all hunted now and the only way to ensure it does not happen is to try to stop Tom Riddle from becoming Lord Voldemort. _

_It is imperative that you understand and truly accept this next statement. I know that the bond causes you to care and maybe even love him. But if he cannot be saved…if he cannot be changed…you have to kill him before he takes on the persona. You know how…you have all the tools you need to stop this war. I know it will hurt because I cannot imagine killing Severus now but to save the lives of the many you must sacrifice the lives of the few…that includes your own heart. And for that I am sorry. I tried to get anyone else but you…sadly itwass only you that fit what was needed and I think deep down I knew that. I'm sorry Hermione…I truly am…_

Setting the quill in the center of the journal and closing it with an eerie calm, Hermione set the journal down on the couch between them and stood. Severus followed her movement and reaching out to try to comfort her, he grimaced as she jerked away from his touch.

"Thank you for telling me Professor. I appreciate not being kept in the dark anymore."

Looking up at him, the dullness in her eyes made his heart ache so deeply he had to run the spot on his chest to try to alleviate the pain.

"I don't know what could have happened in the future for me to willingly create such an evil object and be willing to cut out my own heart and feed it to the proverbial greater good to win but it has to be terrible. No matter what I feel or what happens from here on out…I will not fail you or the wizarding world. If you will excuse me, I think I need to go have a break down alone before I can move forward."

Stepping around him, Hermione ignored his soft plea of her name and left his office just as quietly as she had entered. Taking the most direct route to her dorm and not caring if she was caught, Hermione let her mind go blank until she reached the safety of her curtained bed. Pulling her own journal from under her pillow, she opened the drawer next to her bed and slid it inside. Closing the drawer felt like she was locking her soul away inside a dark cave and with that thought her heart finished shattering and Hermione curled into the fetal position under her covers and let her heart pours itself out of her body and down her face.

* * *

HG it has been months on my end and you have not answered a single journal entry. Please talk to me…at least let me know you are still alive! I cannot focus anymore on anything but this damn journal and waiting on the tell-tale heat letting me know you are safe. I am heading into summer and Lord Malfoy has agreed to let me stay at the Manor instead of going back to that awful place. Which means I have too much time on my hands to sit and stare at this damn book!

Look if this is about the Mrs. Riddle stuff…I was only playing around. I mean I wasn't and I like the idea that you are mine but I swear I won't ever call you that again if you hate it that much. I have been talking with my Knights and I think we have found several different ways in which to break said bond without harming you, my 'soul' piece, or the journal. Please come back to me…PLEASE!

Yours

Tom M. Riddle Jr.

* * *

**A/N: I am one of those people who would have been a method actor in Hollywood so you can see where I put myself by ending the chapter here...I need to go bury my Hufflepuff now...excuse me...**


	11. Chapter 11-Kiss and Make Up

**Greetings again my crazy readers! **

**I know...two for 'Secret' and not 'Storm'...blame the first few reviewers from Chapter 10. I was laughing and so brightened by their words that I had to give them another chapter as a thank you!**

**This chapter is dedicated to Stephanie MRV who had me rolling at my desk laughing with her 'blabbering mouth and fingers' over what I did to Snape and the entire last chapter. I literally thought I was going to die laughing. Much Slytherin love to you and to Melody, Violet, and Kang for reading as soon as I posted and giving me such awesome feedback! You guys are my soul food!**

**This chapter has a second half to it which will be written and posted tomorrow. Apparently I am going to try to catch 'Secret' up to 'Storm' in a week or something lol. My brain is going to be fried by then but worth it! Hope you all enjoy!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

The entire summer passed with not one ink drop from HG! Though he did a great job of hiding his agitation and worry, by the time the train pulled away from King's Crossing heading to Hogwarts he was just about ready to throw the entire thing in the common room fire and burn her from his very bones. Of course that thought only caused the ache in his chest to deepen and he growled under his breath as he stared out the window in abject misery.

He knew…or at least he had convinced himself it was not his fault. Whatever was keeping her from him had nothing to do with him personally. When she left she was laughing at his idiocy and smiling at him. She also had responded in kind with her own humor in calling him Mr. Riddle. Something had to have happened when she woke up. He didn't know what but as soon as she came back to him, he was going to make her tell him and then he was going to maim and even possibly kill whoever was to blame for her absence. No matter how much she protested!

His mind was so far away in his plan for revenge on this unknown assailant that when the journal did finally heat up, he jerked in his seat and almost dropped it on the floor. Looking around to make sure none of his Knights were paying attention to him, Tom opened the journal to the newest page and watched as her beautiful penmanship flowed across the page.

_My dearest Mr. Riddle,_

_Please forgive my absence. I am not sure exactly how long it has been for you now but several months have flown by for us. Things have gotten a little out of hand here and I admit that I have been avoiding the journal and you._

_Maybe saying I have been avoiding you is inaccurate. I have been avoiding my feelings for you and the newest bit of responsibility I had lain on my heart and in my lap the night after our last visit. You did nothing wrong and I wanted to tell you that so many times but I admit to being a coward and having to figure out my own mess of a head before I could try to talk to you again._

_It occurred to me today as I am sitting here listening to this toad drone on and on that I told you I trusted you and then when my trust was broken by someone else, I took it out on you by believing that if I showed up as vulnerable as I was that you would take advantage of that and me. For that lack of trust on my part, I humbly ask you to forgive me. I am not sure if I can hurt your feelings or not but I believe that I can and that was never my intention. Please say you forgive me….please!_

_This toad of a woman has managed to not only hurt me now but has hurt Harry and a few of my other friends. I am starting to have very dark thoughts about what I am going to do to her and I think I may just let your darker half push me right into doing exactly what I am thinking. On top of that, she has added all of these rules that are ridiculous along the hall walls that we are to follow. She refuses to teach any practical lessons in DADA and is making us read and then write because 'theory is all we need'…what utter rubbish!_

_Thanks to her, we are now even more swamped as we started our own DADA class that Harry is teaching and I am assisting with to make sure that we are all learning and prepared to fight when your counterpart finally decides to attack Hogwarts and us. He is going to find that his unknown wife is in fact a very powerful and pissed off little mudblood! And yes you were right…that is exactly what Dumbledore did to me. I am married to snake face Moldy-shorts and I am pretty sure when we kill him he is going to drag my soul down to Hades with him. Pity…I really wanted to see Italy one day…_

_Oh and then your stupid magical snake attacked my best friend's father and almost killed him. If you have to get a pet snake could you pleeeeassseee not use her to eat people…seriously…it's bloody creepy. Just Avada us would you….I mean really…you're a damn wizard for Salazar's sake!_

_Then…Merlin I feel like a year has passed so much has happened…then you helped around ten of the most insane and deadliest people escape Azkaban to rejoin your army. Because I need more psychopaths ordered to capture me and drag me before the great Dark Lord. You know I am going to get caught at some point and go before him and I am going to die because I have decided I am not going to cower or bow to him. I just cannot do it…even to save myself. I can see your temper in your eyes without even looking at you. I know I'm yours Tom and no one is allowed to hurt me but you aren't here and that is exactly what he is going to end up doing. I have settled in the idea…you need to get used to the idea too._

_We are heading into April 1996 and I am not looking forward to whatever is going to happen next. I feel like I am on my last thread of sanity and the year is not even over yet. _

_I know from your last entry that you were staying with the Malfoys. How was your summer there? Did they treat you okay? Did you get a chance to explore their family library? I have heard it is one to envy in the entire wizarding pureblood world. I'm sorry my Malfoy and I can't be friends. I would love to be allowed to just see it. Sad really but what can I say…my first love is books. Now don't go destroying the Hogwarts library in a fit of rage either Baby Boy. You are a very close…third or fourth…_

_Yes I am giggling at that and you better know I am only teasing you. Though with how pissed you probably are at me, teasing you may not be the best idea but I had to. I hope you at least had to fight a teeny-tiny smile._

_I have to go…toad is done rambling and she is heading our way…again. Hopefully I can see you tonight and you will be there. _

_I miss you_

_Yours_

_Dove _

Shutting the journal and having to focus to keep the smile off of his face, Tom finally gives in and allows a very Slytherin smirk to form as he stares out of the window again. She was back and having to beg for forgiveness. He may not have been willing to use her vulnerability against her to keep her trust but he planned to use this to his advantage. It was time to put one of his new rituals into play and see if it really worked the way he and his Knights believed it would.

His little dove had no idea what was coming and if he was a betting man he would say that she was going to be very surprised…indeed.

* * *

Draco watched the smile blossom on her face again and his irritation seemed to climb another notch. He wasn't even sure why. It was Granger and she was the annoying Griffindor know-it-all swot that nobody outside her two little idiot friends liked. Even the other girls in her dorm could not stand her and talked incessantly about her behind her back. She was nothing, less than nothing really and yet watching her write in that damn diary and smile in the way she kept smiling seemed like it was going to be his temper's undoing.

The book itself also seemed to be mocking him…or maybe calling to him. He wasn't sure which but every time he saw her with it now he felt like his body was too small and he had to grind his teeth to ignore the feeling. Finally reaching his snapping point, Draco stood up and stalked toward the oblivious lion. As soon as he was within reach, Draco tapped on her shoulder and as she turned to see who it was he moved to her right and snatched the diary off the table.

"What could you possibly be writing that makes you look like the girls in the common room reading those stupid wizarding love novels. Writing about Potthead and how you just adore the scar on his forehead or maybe about Weaslebee and his dumb red hair?"

"Give that back Malfoy before you get hurt!"

Holding it out of her reach, Draco sneers at her and looks up to see what is on the page. What greets him is a blank page and as he turns his back to ward her off he flips through previous pages only to find them all blank.

"What kind of spell do you have on this to keep the writing hidden?"

Taking out his wand to cast a Finite Incantatem, Draco almost drops the diary as Granger pushes on him hard enough that his balance is compromised. Using his seeker reflexes, Draco hops and then turns so that he is stable again and smirks at her.

"You are going to have to do better than that if you want your precious diary back you dirty mudblood."

Before he can say another word or move to hold the diary out of her reach again, a sharp flare of pain starts in his hand and travels up his arm until it pools in his chest. His breath catches in his lungs and the scream that was trying to fight its way out gets lodged in his throat. What feels like an inferno sparks to life and spreads from his heart outward through his entire body. The last thing he sees before his world goes black is Granger's angry eyes and her lips moving in what can only be described as a fiery telling off.

* * *

"You foul, evil bouncing ferret. You have no idea what you are messing with. Give me my journal back!"

Reaching forward and grasping the book, Hermione yanks with all her might as she continues to call Malfoy every name she can think to call him in that moment. Her fear for his safety was overriding any coherent or rational thinking. As his fingers release the prized journal to her, she pulls it in to her chest and wraps her arms around it like a child does a favorite teddy bear or doll.

"For Godric's sake Malfoy...do you ever consider what kind of magic you might be dealing with before you just grab someone's stuff? With a family as dark as yours, you would think that would be the first thing you would think of. Of course as brainless and inbred as you are...I am not sure I can actually attribute any ability to think at all to your blood line."

Turning to storm off, Hermione caresses the journal as the energy surrounding it has turned dark and malevolent. Turning back around she points her finger into the very confused face of Draco Malfoy to continue giving him a piece of her mind.

"The wizard that helped create this journal is very powerful and very dangerous you pureblood twat. He would as soon kill you as speak to you and at this point, I am almost willing to nudge him that way. I am so sick of you calling me that foul word. It's old at this point don't you think you pathetic excuse for a bully. Find some new material!"

Growling at him as she turns, Hermione stomps back over to her table and sliding the journal carefully back into her bag and then collecting the rest of her belongings her fear and worry rises as she can still feel the turbulent energy pulsing from the horcrux.

"I didn't know you had it in you to be so cold and cruel HG. I'm so very impressed."

The drawl of Malfoy's voice only proved to set her blood to racing again and in her peek she spun around and poked him in the chest.

"I'm not here to impress you, you arsehole, and you are lucky that it's a subtle influence from the journal or I'd..."

Her body freezing up and her eyes going wide, Hermione looks up into Malfoy's eyes only to see not the fire of hatred he normally displays when looking at her but barely covered amusement and a different kind of heat.

"What…what did you call me?"

Stepping back and bumping into the table as Malfoy stepped into forward into her space Hermione let a squeak of confused fear escape her mouth before she could contain it. He smelled like sandalwood and apples and as his eyes moved slowly down her body, Hermione realized that he may be an utter jerk but Malfoy smelled unbelievably good.

Leaning into her fully, Malfoy picks up the bit of homework she was working on and looks it over for a moment before letting it drop slowly to the table again as he meets her eyes and gives her a heart melting smile.

"I think you heard me…HG…though I guess I could call you Hermione Granger now…couldn't I? That is a beautiful name dove…why would you not want to let me use it?"

At the well-used nickname, Hermione pales slightly and then blushes as she realizes how very close to her he is. The breath leaves her lungs in a loud whooshing sound as her head spins and the room goes blurry around the edges. Feeling gentle hands on her arms, Hermione sits in the chair she is moved to and allows him to push her head between her legs as she tries to catch her breath.

"Just breathe my little dove. It will pass in a moment and you will be fine. Breathe with me now. In...Out...In...Out...that's good."

The hand stroking a line up and down her back is not only gentle but warm and for just a precious moment she allows herself to enjoy the touch before she pulls away from him and stands on the other side of her chair. Looking around she notices they are the only ones on this side of the library and she can only be glad for it.

"Tom?"

His smile is slow coming as he seems confused by her fear but when it slides across his borrowed face, Hermione can't help that her face brightens and she lets a smile out that matches his.

"I don't understand…how? You shouldn't be here! This should not be possible!"

Reaching as if to touch him, Hermione forces her hand back to her side as he stands using the same grace as he exudes in the journal world. As he steps towards her, Hermione steps back and continues this until they are further in the stacks and away from any prying eyes. Pulling her wand just in case she needs it, Hermione watches him with a mixture of awe and trepidation.

His eyes follow her movement and he gives her a wounded look when she pulls her wand.

"Are you afraid of me dove? I promised you I would never hurt you. Do you think a few months of silence would change that?"

Lowering her wand and then sliding it back into her wrist sheath, Hermione shakes her head no at him.

"Of course I'm not afraid of you. I admit to being caught off guard and as it seems impossible for you to be here and you happen to be…borrowing my arch nemeses body it's hard not to draw my wand."

Stopping his forward motion, Tom considers her words before nodding and beginning to pat down the body he seems to have borrowed for this little escapade. Finding what he is looking for in the robe pocket he keeps his eyes on her and very slowly pulls out the wizard's wand. He holds his hand out in front of him flat, palm up, and presents the wand to her with a slight bowing of his head. Looking from the wand to the wizard and back, Hermione finally shakes her head no and leans back on the book shelf with her lip between her teeth, nibbling away on it in nervousness.

Stepping forward again until he is within reach, Tom lifts his hand and pulls her lip free of her teeth.

"Don't do that dove…you are going to make your lip bleed again. You know how much I dislike when you get hurt in any way."

As he brushes up against her he watches her pupils dilate slightly as her breath takes on a faster rhythm. She fights herself for several moments and he sees the moment she caves to her inner desires and throws caution to the wind.

Her hand comes up and cups his face and Tom has to grit his teeth to not lean too much into the touch or let her see how much her touch affects him.

"Is this permanent or will you have to go back?"

He gives her another heart stopping grin as he puts his hand over hers on his face. Sliding it down to his lips, he kisses each knuckle softly before running his tongue over the last one and nipping her skin. Her breath freezes in her lungs and his inner snake hisses in pleasure.

"Do you want it to be permanent dove?"

"NO!"

The vehement answer pushes him from teasing to pissed off so fast he has to take a step back from her before he forgot his promise.

"Wait…."

Stepping up to him she grabs his face and pulls it down so his furious eyes met hers again.

"You took that all wrong and I know it! I did not mean I didn't or wouldn't want you here. I do not want you, in this body, to be permanent. I absolutely loath him and his whole family…and no you can't KILL them so don't ask! If you were going to be here…permanently…I would want it to be you Tom, with your lovely hair and tall, strong frame, and your self-assured, cocky smirk. I don't want to look into gray eyes watching every move I make…I want to look at eyes that can range from the cold blue of the ocean to the brightest blue of a fire depending on your mood."

His anger fizzles to ash as he sees the truth in her eyes. Completely forgetting the question and their surroundings, he takes her face in his hands as he pulls her up on her toes and meets her lips with his. The girlish squeak of surprise makes his blood freeze but then as she melts against him in surrender it starts to flow again and heats until he feels like he is burning from the inside out. Sliding his tongue against the seam of her lips, he gently asks for entrance and when she opens her mouth to him he feels like the conquering dark wizard she claims him to be.

Sliding his hands down to her hips he shifts her backwards until she is pressed back into the books as he deepens the kiss, keeping his unhurried pace and using everything he has heard from others to try to make her knees tremble. Knowing this is dangerous and that he could be putting her in immense danger, Tom finally drags his head up and his lips away from hers. Her moan of displeasure strokes his ego and he gives her a smile as he puts one arm above her head and leans over looking down at her.

"To answer your question, I can go back when I choose. The longer I stay the worse the outcome could be on my end of time so I will have to go back. Plus if I have to choose between my darker handsome looks or this prissy ass Malfoy body...I'm going back to my own body I assure you."

Though she tries to fight it, the snort of laughter bursts past her lips and she has to drop her eyes to hide the amusement she feels at that statement. Giving it a moment, Hermione looks back up at him and nibbles her lip before remembering and letting it go on her own.

"We can't talk here. If Malfoy is seen talking to the mudblood, his life will be forfeit in his own house. I may not like him but I also don't want to ruin his life. There is an unused classroom down the hall to the right. It should be the fifth door from the library. Meet me in there in 10 minutes."

Popping up on her tiptoes again, Hermione places a quick but gentle kiss on the side of his mouth before hurrying back to her table to gather her books and other school items. Haphazardly shoving everything into her bag except the journal, she gives him one more glance before rushing off. He can feel the smile on his face from her care for the journal making his cheeks hurt and closing his eyes to take a few deep breathes he lets the Slytherin's face bleed back to stuck up pureblood before he slowly wanders through the library to burn some time before following her.


	12. Chapter 12-Revelations

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I am sorry for such a late update. I had this one planned and mostly ready in my head and I ended up catching a cold of sorts over the weekend. This is my first day back at my computer and though I do not feel 100% just yet, I wanted to get this out to all my lovely readers. I hate to disappoint by not updating on time and I know I have been giving you all two chapters per story each week lately. I will try my best to do that this week as well but I may not be able to as I missed two full days of writing.**

**Any errors are mine and I blame medicine head if I missed something during editing. All rights and such to JKR for her wonderful world that we love to pounce around in. My tigers are having cubs and my list of fics to write has grown even more. I never have enough time to write lol.**

**Thank you all for your very excited and amusing reviews from the last chapter. I was so glad I could cause such reactions. This chapter is dedicated to one such reader...Relent1ess...whose reviews had me rolling from laughter. I hope I gave you enough to gush over in this chapter too. **

**I wanted to send a big wave and online hug to Moon and Claw. Both girls have been so much fun to get to know and have helped me continue to push the ideas out of my head and onto 'paper' and I am very thankful for all their support and love. Be sure to check out Moon's many wonderful stories if you have not yet. You can find her under my favorite authors as Acantha Rayne Oak-Moon. **

**I am going to stop rambling now and get back to writing an update for 'Storm'. Hope you all enjoy this update.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

As soon as the door closed behind her, Hermione cast a silencing spell and squealed like the she had heard the other girls in her dorm do. She never thought she would understand why they made that sound. But as she ran her fingers along her lips and vibrated with adrenaline over the tingling his lips left on hers, Hermione fully understood not being able to keep the sound inside. Catching herself smoothing her hair down, Hermione started to pace to work off the nervous energy.

She was not sure how yet and it went against everything she had been promised and assured from day one but Tom was here…albeit in the body of Draco freaking Malfoy. That alone made her want to hex him back home. He was not supposed to be able to get to her…not in the journal and certainly not in her real life time line so how was he here. That would be question number one. No more kisses until he explained how he had gotten through all of the enchantments placed on the journal for her safety and into the body of one of her classmates.

Not hearing the door open due to her own silencing spell, Hermione almost screamed in fright when his dark chuckle floated across the air and along her skin. Turning to glare at him, she cast several locking and notice-me-not spells on the door to ensure their privacy.

Taking him in now that the surprise moment was over, Hermione could admit that though Malfoy was attractive in a polished marble kind of way, the stance he had at the moment was all Tom and did not look right on the smaller boy. Add to that the smirk and the heated eyes and Hermione had to rearrange her own brain to comprehend how utterly creepy and wrong it was to look at. She had never thought about possession of one's body before but if this is how it ended up looking, she wondered why no one could ever tell…she would know it was not Malfoy in his own body any day.

Done with her examination of him and he obviously was done with his, he stepped closer to her as she retreated away and behind one of the old desks.

"Stop right there. No more touching of any kind until you explain to me how you are here!"

Using her no nonsense tone and keeping him at a distance, Hermione crossed her arms and waited with an impatient look on her face. His face stayed blank for a moment before another smirk formed along his lips.

"A blood ritual, of course. It seems to be the brand of magic we are to use in our relationship to get to see each other after all."

Her frustration and worry much have shown on her face because he cautiously slid onto one of the desks so he was sitting. Hermione appreciated his effort to make himself appear relaxed and harmless even though she knew he could be anything but…

"Please don't make this a twenty questions game…just explain it to me Tom…in detail."

His long suffering sigh reminded her so much of him at eleven that she had to bite the inside of her cheek not to smile or chuckle.

"I told you that my knights and I were spending the summer researching rituals. I was trying to find a way to free you from the bond your precious Order placed on you in regards to my future monstrous self. I admit that I am the jealous type and though he is supposedly me 60 years from now, I do not like that he is tied to you instead of me."

The anger on his face was enough to have Hermione taking a step towards him to sooth him before she caught herself and forced her feet to stay still.

"We found a couple of ideas but none of them seem to be what I truly need. All of them end in the death of the weaker of the two halves or the loss of one's magic in the separation. I do not wish to risk either of those outcomes in regards to you so we are trying to manipulate the rituals to get a better outcome. During the search, I came across a ritual that allowed for soul swapping if the right conditions were met. It was used to get spies into the enemy camp using an enemy vessel."

At her eyebrow lift of astonishment, Tom gives her a warm look, flashing a beautiful smile. If Malfoy had ever smiled at her like that she might have ended up one of his broken hearted fan girls as well. Shaking that thought away she gestured for him to continue.

"The practice was thrown out as useless because it requires a common blood line in order for the swap to work. Or at least it did before I got a hold of the process. It turns out our ancestors were not very creative or inventive. With a few changes to the wording and the runes, I was able to take blood from a living blood line that I knew you had near you in your time line and cast the spells on the journal. The spell itself allows me to not only travel through the journal into the correct host's body but to trap the host in mine in a state of sleep until I return. It also had an alert rune added to it to let me know when the correct bloodline is near the journal."

Hopping off the desk top and stalking towards her, Tom keeps his eyes locked with hers and watches as her breathing seems to pause and then pick up in speed.

"I knew that your Malfoy was nearby thanks to that rune and since Abraxas owed me for all his insults, I had him cast the ritual to allow me to inhabit his future grandson's body when the timing suited me. And here I am."

Following her like the predator he is until her back hits a wall and her squeak of surprise echoes in the mostly empty room, Tom cages her in with an arm on either side of her head. Leaning down he breathes her in before resting his forehead against hers.

"You smell divine dove. Why do you not ever smell like this in the journal?"

Fingers gripping the stone wall for support Hermione takes a few steadying breaths herself before answering.

"It takes more magic to create smells and sounds and such. I use as little as possible on details like that so we can have more time together. The more magic I use to give life to our surrounding…the less time I get with you."

Opening her eyes to meet his as he lifts his head slightly, her breath stills in her lungs again and her knees grow weak at the look he is giving her.

"Say that again dove."

Thought his voice is soft and rolls across her skin like honey she knows it is nothing less than a command and knowing she is helpless to resist him does as he asks.

"It takes more…"

Shaking his head at her makes her stop mid-sentence.

"Just the very last part dove."

"Which part…the less time I get with you?"

As the question leaves her lips she can see his eyes smolder with triumph and before she can ask why he looks so victorious his lips are on hers again with a ferocity that she has never experienced before. She does not even have time to feel a second of fear before her own body betrays her and melts into him in surrender. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Hermione pulls her body up against his tightly as a moan of want worms its way past her lips and against his. Opening for him, she meets his tongue stroke for stroke in a duel as old as time itself.

The sound that escapes from between her lips is one he is not sure he could ever describe or forget. He has no idea what the sound would be called but the way his body reacts to it is one that quickly becomes out of his control. Threading one hand into her hair as he pulls her tight against him to the point of almost bruising with the other, Tom tilts her head without waiting for permission, deepening the kiss to try to pour the inferno raging inside his body back into hers.

This seems to be the catalyst for her and with a pained groan of surrender Hermione slides one hand into his hair to grip down. Without it being a conscious thing, Tom backs them up until her back hits the wall again and he leans his body against hers. Letting go of her hair, he runs his hand gently down her face and along her neck. Trying to hold onto the threads of his quickly fleeing control, Tom slides his hand further down until he palms her breast in his hand and gently rubs the pads of his fingers back and forth across her pebbling nipple.

Breaking the kiss to throw her head back with a shuttering moan, Hermione opens herself up and not one to miss out on an opportunity, Tom leans forward and feathers kisses and nips along the skin of her neck and collarbone. The resulting moan only fuels his need to hear it again so he climbs back up the other side of her neck with his lips and tongue and teeth as he pinches and rolls her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

Her body jerks against his in an arch as she lets out another long, deep moan before her hands come down to rest on his chest. Biting her lip and gripping his shirt for a moment, Hermione tries to gather her wits. Using her hands and her lower body, she tries to push him back and away from her. The growl that emits from his mouth causes a pulse of arousal to hit her and her breath catches in her lungs.

"Tom…please…we have to stop. This isn't right…"

The breathiness of her plea only seems to make it worse as he releases her breast and grabs both of her hands to pin them above her head in one of his. Looking her in the eye as he grabs her leg and lifts it so that her inner thigh is resting against his hip, the feral gleam he has is telling.

"This is the first right thing about our relationship HG."

Gripping her leg he grinds his hard length against her wet center and even through her jeans and his pants, the friction causes both of their eyes to slide closed and a moan to escape their throats.

"We don't…"

Stuttering as he grinds again and continues to roll against her with his cock in a slow rhythmic way, Hermione forgets what she was going to say and tries to pull her hands out of his instead.

Leaning in so his lips brush her ear as he speaks, Tom speeds his movement up just a little as the pleasure slides along his shaft and spine.

"We don't what dove?"

Letting out a growl of frustration that turns into a moan, Hermione tries again to get him to see reason.

"We don't have a relationship…"

Another gasp as he jerks his hips against her rougher in punishment, she whimpers and drops her head to look into not his dark, fathomless eyes but the silver eyes of Draco Malfoy instead. Though she expected that to cause her to recoil in horror, the way he is making her feel seems to override every bit of her morality.

"This isn't right Tom…it's not even your body you are using. Malfoy would hate this if he knew…"

Letting go of her hands to lift her up with her other leg, he slams her back against the wall and doubles his speed as he grinds the head of his borrowed cock directly against her sensitive clit.

"And you hate that he calls you that foul name but he still does it. He is not any more of a good guy to be saved then I am and I will have you Hermione."

Squeezing her ass in his hands, he leans down and nips her lip once and then again until he watches her eyes glaze over again in pleasure.

"Give me your eyes Hermione. Trust me that I will not take advantage of you. Let me in so you can see me instead of him."

Watching her shake her head back and forth, Tom licks her bottom lip before drawing it into his mouth to suck on gently. With a slight popping sound he pulls back and releases her mouth only to lean down as he lifts her higher for a moment to take her shirt clad nipple into his mouth and suck. Using his teeth and his tongue he nips and strokes her until she is moaning and panting in his arms again. Lowering her back to where he needs her, he returns to grinding against her warm center.

"Trust me Hermione. Give me your eyes…please."

He wasn't sure if it was the pleasure or the please but he didn't care. With only a small bit of reluctance, Hermione opened her eyes and stared straight into his. He knew the moment her walls came down and he dove in just far enough to alter what she was seeing. He knew the moment it had worked and she was looking into his face because her entire body tensed and then surrender in his arms.

In that moment the heat between them flared and the kisses and grinding went from less restrained to completely frantic. Her nails bit into his back as she wrapped her legs around his waist and begin to move her hips to grind back against him. Her lips crashed down onto his hard enough to have their teeth clanking together and her moans were no longer pulled forcefully from her mouth but flowed out of her like the sweetest symphony.

Turning with his arms holding her tightly to him, Tom moved the few steps it took to lay her down on one of the old desks before palming her breast in one hand and gripping her leg in the other. Their hips snapped fervently, building the pressure to a fevered pitch before spilling up and over them in a rush of magic and ecstasy. Hermione's screams echoed off the walls as she clung to him and writhed beneath his body. For a moment, Tom forgot who he was and every plan he had made since finding out he was a wizard and could only focus on how she felt in his arms while coming apart because of him.

Resting his head over her heart he listened as it beat out a frenzied rhythm against his ear and her chest rose and fell rapidly with her pants. After a few minutes he realized that there was a sticky mess that was cooling in his pants and he moved to stand, gripping the desk with one hand and her thigh with another as his head spun. Reaching beneath her he pulled out the wand that he had found in his pocket and reveling in the fact that she did not flinch in any way, he cast a cleaning charm over himself and then her to get rid of the wet mess.

Sliding the wand back into his own pocket, Tom helped Hermione sit up and ran his hands over her face and down her hair to help smooth out the now out of control curls.

"I thought there was no possible way your hair could get any more wild and uncontrollable. I was wrong."

The unladylike snort that she released caused the ache in his chest to deepen and he returned her eye rolling smile with one of his own. Leaning down he gently brushed her lips with his own again and deepened it just a little at her sigh.

Before either of them registered what was happening, Tom was pushed violently away from her with magic as she was ripped out of his arms and into the arms of a very large and imposing figure dressed in all black. Tom was able to admit that for a moment he was afraid for his life and Hermione's before he pulled his magic to the tips of his fingers and glared back at the man.

Holding his wand steady at his godson, Severus looked down at the shocked face of his Griffindor protégé and his anger raised another notch at her look of embarrassment and fear. He did not know if this was some kind of dare the Slytherin's had put Draco up to or if the Dark Lord had ordered it, but he planned to dig very deep into his head to find out before he erased this from his memory. Seeing the other boy's hands on Hermione had almost been his breaking point and as he tightened his grip on his wand and his magic, Severus took deep breaths in and out through his nose to try to still the raging beast clawing in his chest.

"I don't know who you are but you will do well to take your hands off of my lady before I remove them for you!"

The low threatening hiss of words that poured from his godson made his head snap up to look at the boy. Nothing about his posture or his demeanor was anything like Draco and in a moment of confusion he lost his grip on Hermione.

Rushing from his arms to the arms of the blonde Slytherin had Severus' hackles rising again. Only his years as a spy kept him from showing his feelings on his face as she stepped in between them. The words she uttered caused his blood to freeze in his veins and he could feel the horror try to crawl its way into his eyes before he slammed his shields all the way up.

"Tom….it's okay…this is the professor I was telling you about that keeps me safe and watches my back. Please pull your magic back…..please! He probably thought you were Malfoy trying to maul me on a dare or something. He's only trying to protect me."

Meeting the eyes of his godson, he sees the difference in the look and as he realizes who he is staring at, Severus lowers his wand and starts to lower himself to his knee in supplication before her voice causes him to pause.

"And don't you DARE kneel to him Professor! His ego is big enough without _that_ causing more inflation. He does not need that kind of ego boost right now. And you can wipe that smile off your face you jerk! You both almost gave me a heart attack. What is it with you Slytherin's and the ability to sneak up on people? I swear it must be a Slytherin chromosome to sneak and be sneaky…damn snakes!"

The chuckle that rolled into the room was filled with the dark promise of his magic and Severus had to close his eyes to fight against that dark pull. He remembered that feeling when he first met his Dark Lord and it had been what had sealed his fate. The magnetism of the man had only been part of it. The dark warmth of his magic had been almost pleasurable to feel and be around and when directed at you in a positive way was addictive for someone who had spent his whole life being abused and unloved. The loneliness of his life hit him once more and Severus kept his eyes shut tight as the tears tried to form once more in his eyes. He had given his tears to the Dark Lord once and it had cost him everything. Never again!

"I am not quite sure what that means but I will take it as a compliment and not an insult. If you could learn to control your emotions better dove, you could be as sneaky as a snake too. Though…I admit I would miss my temperamental lioness…so never change."

Severus opened his eyes in time to witness the strangest sight in his entire life. With a smile filled with warmth and genuine adoration, Tom Riddle in the body of Draco Malfoy leaned down just enough to place a soft kiss on muggle born Hermione Granger's head. Closing his eyes he seemed to breathe her in before standing back up to his full borrowed height and meeting Severus' eyes.

"I will forgive the intrusion since I know you are the only one who truly knows what she is facing and going through and you are there to help her. Do not mistake my kindness this time for weakness Professor. Unless she initiates it because she needs reassurance I am not able to give her at the time…keep your hands off of my girl or I will find my way back for you specifically. Do I make myself clear?"

The huff that came from Hermione in no way deterred the deadly stare of the young Dark Lord and with gritted teeth and a seething temper buried under layers of occlumency shields, Severus bowed his head slightly to the young man.

"Of course my Lord. I did not realize it was you or I would never have shown such insolence. I was afraid she was being assaulted by one of my own Slytherins and I knew you would not approve of such actions."

Turning his attention from the dour teacher to his HG, Tom ran his thumb over her lip to pull it from beneath the other one.

"Stop biting that lip dove. That is my job now and you will only hurt yourself."

The slight stiffening of the other man caught his eye but he knew his time was running out. He would figure out what that stiffening meant the next time he was here.

"Do not use this as an excuse to avoid our journal world Hermione. Now that I know how to get here, I will come looking for you if you avoid me. Am I being clear enough on that?"

Her huff of annoyance only made his smile grow. He had never considered it before but he found her anger to be utterly adorable…which needed consideration later.

"I think…I think maybe it would be safer if we went back to the no toughing rule. This is not safe and has to stop Tom. The no touching rule…"

Interrupting her before she could go too far, Tom placed his finger against her lips to stop her on coming bullshit.

"…is no longer relevant. You told me from the very beginning that you were mine Hermione…my secret to collect. I will not settle for only pieces of you and stupid rules. I promised never to put my hands on you again and I will hold to that promise when it comes to my temper. I will not be held to that now that I have felt how you come alive in my arms. I can assure you that you and I will be…touching…a lot in the future."

Her blush is almost his undoing and with one more bruising kiss, he releases her and turns to lift her bag off the floor.

"I trust that you will be able to handle the fall out of this meeting..."

Turning he lifts his eyebrow at the Professor in such a manner that he knew this man did in fact know his well in this future time line.

"Severus…my lord…"

His head bowed in such a subservient way actual made Tom's temper roll slightly. He wasn't sure but he tacked it on to another thing HG had changed in him. He did not want servants or pets…he wanted people he could trust that were as strong and brilliant as him. She had said once that this man was…here was hoping his trust was not placed incorrectly.

"She is correct Severus…I do not need a larger ego. I don't know exactly how I managed to cow such an imposing and powerful wizard as you seem to be but I am not that Dark Lord. And if dove has anything to say about it…I never will be. I need people who I can trust to stand strong beside me. I may regret saying this one day but do not bow to me again Severus. Hermione has told me enough to know she admires you above all others here. I do not wish to ever see someone that my lady thinks so highly of feel the need to bow so lowly to me. Next time we meet…you and I are equals. Keep that in mind my Knight."

The look of shock that crossed HG's face was amusing but the fact that the impenetrable Slytherin also let his own shock show for a brief moment was enough to make Tom smile again. Pulling out the journal, he gave one last lingering look at his future wife before closing his eyes.

"I will miss you dove. Do not keep me waiting long."

A small pulse of magic later and Malfoy stumbled and dropped the journal to the floor, holding his head as if in pain. Looking up his eyes traveled over the disheveled girl in front of him in confusion.

"What in the fuck just happened Granger and why do you look like you just got well and properly fucked?"


	13. Chapter 13-The Light to my Darkness

**So greetings!**

**I not only wrote this one...I wrote the next one too. But I am holding that one hostage until tomorrow or even Monday. Too many chapters and you will all be spoiled...ROTTEN!**

**I don't think there is anything in this one I need to warn you about but just in case this story contains smut, violence, language, and stuff and may trigger issues. You are warned yet again.**

**My head is full of chapters so I will throw this one at you so I can go back to the tiger pouncing on my brain right now.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

The sneer that crossed Malfoy's face was just enough with her embarrassment and anxiety to make Hermione want to punch him again just to see if it really felt as good as she remembered. She did not need his bigoted shit right now and with journal in hand she let fly the temper that the horcrux always seemed to pull to the surface.

"If I looked thoroughly shagged Malfoy it's only because it turns out when someone else is flying your body you've got quite the selection of moves to make a girl disheveled!"

"Miss Granger!"

The low snarling tone of Professor Snape yanked Hermione back to herself better than anything else could and with pink cheeks she gave him a mournful look.

"I'm sorry Professor that was uncalled for. I'm stressed out and pissed off and I don't need pureblood asshole's opinion right now. I need a tooth brush and a long, hot shower to scrub off the smell of Eau de Baby Malfoy before I get sick…"

The look he leveled her was one that made her gulp and shuffle on her feet. He was really angry with her and she wasn't sure if it was because she couldn't seem to stop poking at Malfoy or if it was the fact that he caught her under his godson with Tom Riddle steering the ride. Either way she needed to get out of here and somewhere alone so she could process what she was feeling right now.

"You will stay until we come to a decision on what to do about this new development. Then you and I will go up and inform Dumbledore before you run off to wallow in your teenage angst."

Her eye roll did not go unnoticed and the choked surprise that passed from Malfoy's lips was enough to make her smirk at him before hopping up on the same desk Tom had just had her pinned to and crossing her legs to stare at the two Slytherins.

"You are going to want to sit down Draco."

Nodding with what looked like a numb disposition to Hermione, Draco slide into one of the chairs and leaned forward on the desk with his head in his hands.

"What I tell you can never be spoken of outside of this moment. I will tell you all you need to know to understand what is going on and at the end you can decide if you wish to take an unbreakable vow to keep it to yourself or have your mind obliviated so you do not remember at all. Is that agreeable?"

Looking up with eyes full of confused determination, Malfoy nodded at his Head of House before sitting up straighter.

"Miss Granger is part of a mission for the Order to try to end the reign of the Dark Lord. What she doesn't know is how much the rest of us like your family and several others are stuck in our situation and want nothing more than to have it end. I was recruited to help her on her mission and to be her handler when she needs one. I will not go into detail as that could be dangerous but through different magics we have been able to give Miss Granger a way to contact and talk to the Dark Lord when he was Tom Riddle and was a student here at Hogwarts."

With wide eyes, Malfoy turned his head to stare at her in surprise. Pretending to be bored with the conversation already, Hermione kept her head down and only allowed her eyes to take in the scene through her hair.

"Some of the spells and rituals used have had some unforeseen side effects. In the case of our goal it has been useful. It has also caused young Tom to get creative in finding ways to see and talk to Miss Granger."

"Wait…let me get this straight…you are conversing with THE Dark Lord and he hasn't killed you yet?"

Finally looking up at her long time enemy Hermione sighs and nods at him.

"He did not start off hating muggleborn witches and wizards…only muggles themselves. He picked up the pureblood agenda when he realized it was the best way to get powerful supporters and money. The Dark Lord you know now is nothing like what he was like as a teen. He has done things that have affected his intelligence and sanity so he is unstable and just plain deranged now. Originally your kind was just a tool to use to carve the way he wanted things to be."

The furrowing of his brow gave Hermione pause as she let him wrap his head around that information. Watching him assimilate what she had told him before looking up with a nod to go on, Hermione realized that there was one similarity between them.

"I was tasked with finding a way to change his attitude and the steps he took to become the Dark Lord…or kill him before he could get there."

Jerking in surprise at her nonchalant tone while talking about killing someone, Draco held his hand up for her to wait.

"Then why the hell have you not killed him yet Granger? He can't be saved! He is a bloody monster!"

The sad smile she gave him before sighing made him stand and come around to sit on the desk eye level with her.

"Because one of the rituals used bound me to him and in doing so allows me to share my 'light' with him while I take on some of his darkness."

With a helpless looking shrug, Hermione rubbed the cover of the journal before stating her next problem.

"And somewhere along the way…I fell in love with Tom Riddle. I will do what I have to in the end but I want to try to save him first and I think I can. He is as affected by the ritual as I am and he cares for me too. I don't think he can love me yet with the curse on him but I am researching a way to remove it without hurting him."

Looking up Hermione couldn't help but let out of peel of laughter at the shocked horror on Malfoy's face. She wasn't sure she had ever seen him looking anything but poised and stuck up.

"How the hell did you let yourself fall in love with the fucking Dark Lord Granger you daft bint?"

Her laughter rang out again as she leaned back on the desk with her hands and let the humor wash away the anxiety inside. Even Severus had a moment to slip as he let out a snort of humor at her.

"Yes Malfoy…because I woke up one day and was like 'Oh screw it…I'm going to give my heart to the darkest wizard known to our world' and then did so."

Wiping her eyes of the tears forming and falling Hermione sits up straight and looks him in the eyes.

"Like I said…it wasn't planned and I didn't even know it could happen. Our fearless leader decided to keep the possible side effects to himself and I have only recently begun to realize that. Now it's a little too late as he is under my skin and probably always will be."

Letting her smile drop as she stares at him, Hermione lets Malfoy see the person she keeps hidden from the Order that has been cultivated by Voldemort's soul sliver.

"If he can't be saved and he continues on the same path to our future time line…I will end his reign before it even begins. Make no mistake Malfoy…I will not allow my heart to endanger the other people I love and want to see alive and happy."

His nod of approval was accompanied by a look of respect and for the first time it seemed they had a common understanding.

"Though that makes sense…that does not explain how I ended up in this room when the last thing I remember was giving you shit about your diary in the library."

Hermione's look turned sheepish as Severus blew a noisy breath out of his nose and pinched the bridge of it in his ever present irritated stance.

"Tom found a way using a blood ritual to do a soul swap. He took one that allowed family members of the same blood line to swap places and altered it so he could use your grandfather's blood as his conduit…his key…to get through. With his alterations and knowledge that I went to school with a Malfoy heir, he put the ritual on my journal. He made it so that not only could he swap souls with you and take your body to use here but he put a rune in the ritual circle that alerts him when you are near and pushes at you magically to make you want to touch the journal. You grabbing it from me activated the switch and you ended up in his body asleep while he ended up in yours fully aware and awake."

The look of awed horror that came over his face was not near as funny as before and Hermione gave him a weak smile to try to soften the blow.

"Are you telling me that you looked like you had just been well shagged and I was the one who did it?"

Making a face that said so much and yet not enough, Hermione looked to Severus for help as she wasn't sure she could explain it out loud. She could already feel her cheeks heating in embarrassment.

"Don't look at me princess…you were the one who let him get his hands on you while running around in Draco's body. I am not letting you get off that easy…pun intended."

The eyebrow he raised at his last words caused Hermione to cover her face and moan in total horror.

"I cannot believe you just said that…you are an arse!"

The surprise on Malfoy's face as he looked between his godfather and the Gryffindor Golden Girl must have hit a nerve because his godfather let his head fall back as he laughed a very deep laugh. Even though he had not heard that laugh in years it still caused Draco to smile back at him and he watched as Granger uncovered her face to grin up at him too as he laughed. It seemed he was not the only one affected so deeply by one of Snape's laughs.

Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, Hermione looked back at Malfoy and rolled her eyes while gesturing with her shoulder to Snape. His answering grin took her breath away and for a moment she forgot she was supposed to hate him.

"All I can realty say is I'm sorry Malfoy. I had no intention of it going there but he is a persuasive pain in the ass and he used legilimency so I would see him instead of you and my resolve crumbled. He is a manipulative Slytherin and I am a hapless Gryffindor…what was I to do?"

The laugh that escaped him made Draco slap a hand over his mouth in surprise at himself. He now understood why he felt completely relaxed and satisfied in body because he had apparently gotten off with the Gryffindor princess and he didn't even get to remember the experience. He wasn't sure if he was glad for that or royally pissed off.

"Do I have to worry about that happening again?"

Her look said it all but he was glad she decided to clarify with words as well.

"If we can manage to avoid each other and keep you from touching the journal ever again then no you won't. If you catch me off guard again and get your hands on the journal due to the compulsion then yes you will. And if Tom has anything to say in the matter, he will up the compulsion when he realizes you know and are fighting it. What Tom wants he gets in his little world. The best I can do is try not to ever let the journal get near you or you near the journal and hope for the best."

"And if he does get his way and takes over again…are you going to let him touch you more with my body?"

Her cheeks turning a light shade of red, Hermione closes her eyes as she bites her lip to keep from groaning again.

"No Malfoy…I will not let him touch me if I can help it. I will do my best to get him to see it is not okay to use your body for that purpose. I'm sorry I let it get so far this time. I know that must make your skin crawl to have touched a mudblood like that."

The bitter tone that came out made Draco really take a look at her face and for once he could not only see the hurt as she said it but felt a slight bit of guilt over it.

"Look Granger…even if I wanted to change how I see the world…I wouldn't be able to now. I have no choice but to continue on the path my parents paved for me. I know you are brilliant and probably smarter and more powerful than every single pureblood witch in Slytherin but I can't show that or even acknowledge it outside of this moment. I would have to endure my father's punishments until I had been reprogrammed to their way of thinking and trust me…first year was enough of that for me."

Looking up at him with confusion, Hermione tilted her head to the side as her grip tightened on the desk.

"What do you mean punishment and first year was enough?"

"Draco…"

The warning tone from his godfather made him pause before meeting her eyes and deciding he wanted her to see him for once and not his parents. Maybe it was the trust she was giving him in this moment and maybe it was because he could still taste her on his lips but looking at her now he gave her the truth.

"You were a swotty little know-it-all but you were powerful and smart and you stood out among the rest of the sheep here. I thought you were adorable and wanted nothing more than to be allowed to talk to you even though you were in Gryffindor. When I went home for Christmas and told my mother and father all about this bushy haired, brilliant Gryffindor my father figured out you were a muggleborn and used a wiping charm and the torture curse a few times until I swore that I hated you for your dirty blood and I didn't realize and I would only ever be an ass to you from then on."

Her gasp of horror and then her look of pure anger made the knot in Draco's stomach ease and he smiled sadly at her.

"It's okay Granger…it's just the way it is. I'm a Slytherin pureblood and you are a muggleborn Gryffindor. I come from a family of dark witches and wizards and you are as pure in the light as I think is possible at this point. You are the day and I am the night. You are the light to my darkness which puts us on opposite sides of this war and even if I don't want to be a part of it…I have no choice any more than you do. You have to fight to survive and be allowed to live and so do I."

The tears that formed in her eyes and fell were a sort of balm for his battered soul and Draco slid off the desk to walk over to her and wipe away the first few to drop do her cheek.

"When we walk out of here I will still have to be that loathsome, evil little cockroach and you will still have to be the filthy mudblood best friend to scarhead. But for this moment I want you to know that I am sorry that I ever called you that and I think you are the epitome of what a witch should be and I am only sorry I can't remember what he did while in my body."

Her smile was slow in coming but as bright as the ones she normally bestowed on her two best friends as her cheeks warmed in embarrassment at the humor. He gave her an answering shy grin before stepping back away from her.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up and relax? I have some things I wish to discuss with my godfather."

Nodding her head, Hermione hopped off the desk and picked up her bag, sliding the journal carefully back into it.

"Thank you Mal…Draco. I know it can't mean anything out there but that meant the world to me in here."

Resting her hand over her heart, Hermione gives him another sweet smile before turning and heading for the door, bowing her head in respect to Professor Snape.

"Oh and Granger…"

As she turned to look at him with a question in her eyes he gave her one of his cocky smirks.

"If you can't convince him and he mauls you again…I want the memories and I will forgive the violation of my person."

Her answering laugh and wave are all he needed to make him smile again. As the door closed behind her he glanced up and the look on his godfather's face was enough to wipe all humor from his mind.

"It's time we have a long talk Draco."

"I couldn't agree more Sev."

* * *

For Hermione the next couple of months passed in a blur of classes, dodging Umbridge and her Inquisition Squad, talking to Tom about his 5th year which was going much faster than any other year to date that they talked through, and wondering if Draco had taken the choice of obliviation or if he remembered the conversation.

She found it hard some days to argue back and insult the Slytherins when Malfoy was present and she swore at times she saw a hint of regret as well when he would utter that awful word at her in front of his friends. She had asked Severus a few times about their conversation and all he would ever tell her was that it was private and that she should forget it and move on with her mission. They had decided as a team not to inform Dumbledore of the new development with Tom and Draco and Hermione was glad about that particular decision.

For Tom's birthday in December she had conjured a movie theatre from her time and they had sat in the dark eating popcorn and watching 'The Craft' which Hermione thought would be amusing to have him see. His incredulity at how muggles thought of magic was so amusing that she couldn't help but laugh at him openly. Of course that started him on a mission to shut her up and she ended up in his lap in the theatre chair making out and missing the last half hour of the movie.

When Hermione and her friends had been caught by Umbridge and Headmaster Dumbledore had been pushed out of Hogwarts, her fear had risen to new heights and in a fit of anger at the stupid toad she had let the name slip from her lips. She had spent the next two weeks of journal entries and meetings arguing, asking, and then finally pleading with Tom until he agreed not to get his own revenge on the woman for her abuse of Hermione and her friends.

After another argument about wanting to touch her for real, Hermione had explained to him what Draco had said and told him she worried that the exposure would cause issues in the end for Draco. She also explained that he had never gotten near enough to touch let alone to _actually_ touch her but that he had after he heard about what had happened. In his fit of possessive jealousy he agreed he would leave the younger Malfoy to his own body until he truly could not take it anymore. He also said he wanted a meeting with the younger Malfoy and could she make that happen and though she admitted that if she wanted she could bring anyone with her into the journal, she was not going to let him scare the crap out of Draco after he had arbitrarily chosen to use him as a puppet.

O.W.L.'s came and went without so much as a whisper of trouble and knowing what she knew about Harry's godfather Sirius…she was overjoyed to see that something had changed for the better. She was not sure if that proved that the time line was the same and her interactions with Tom had made the difference or if it was just the affect she was having on Moldy-shorts by being bound to his soul. Either way, it looked like they were going to make it through fifth year with Sirius Black still being alive and no one aware of the tragedy they had avoided.

With a little push from her darker half, Hermione had help take out Umbridge in the end by tricking her into following the trio into the forbidden forest and getting her in trouble with and carried off by the Centaurs. The small sliver of guilt was not enough for her to willingly try to save the toad and in the end Tom was so proud of her for taking her revenge in such a Slytherin way that he rewarded her with two overwhelming orgasms that caused Hermione to lose focus and drop them out of the journal faster than she meant to. His smug reply telling her to sleep well was enough incentive to not go back in with him that same night.

Though to be fair she had fallen asleep with not a care in the world and a smile on her face and she had slept better than she had in years.


	14. Chapter 14-Something Wicked

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know...a third update Dash?! What can I say...Tom and HG are running rampant in my head and taking over my writer time. I am doing the next update to 'Storm' right this moment and I plan to have it up before I leave today too. I was going to keep this one to myself until Monday but _Melody_ convinced me to post it. I didn't truly want to make you wait anyway lol.**

**The end is coming closer for part 1 and I can feel the excitement building in my head making it very hard to focus on updating both stories evenly and fairly lol. I'm sorry for that to any of my readers that read both stories. I promise that I will dedicate time to 'Storm' this weekend so I have some done by the time I come in Monday too.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I will remind you this story is M rated and will have possible moments of language, lemons, torture, and other M rated topics to come. Please remember I am doing a fic centered on Tom and Voldemort so it won't be all fluff and sweetness and light. This will be my only warning from here on out about the coming M rated stuff.**

**I blame any moments of Hufflepuff on the music I was listening to while writing yesterday. I was not really paying attention until I was editing but my Pandora went from my usual Tom music to Savage Garden and I think it may have ended up leaking into my scene lol. Hope you enjoy!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione had been home for the summer for two weeks and she was utterly bored. Though she had her books for next year already, she could not seem to settle down to read them. It felt like there was a colony of ants just under her skin making it feel like it was always vibrating and crawling and the more she tried to sit still the worse the feeling became. She had contacted Severus only once and he had confirmed that the Dark Lord seemed to be in an agitated state and that the inner circle had become quite active lately in terrorizing muggles and searching muggle cities.

His advice to be cautious and stay indoors and hidden behind the wards and charms set by the Order only made her feel more trapped than ever before and her only escape seemed to be talking to or visiting with Tom. He was nearing the end of his fifth year as well and she was astonished at the time difference now. It seemed that the closer he came to matching her time line the faster it went to do just that. Her worry was that he would surpass her and end up older than her and out of her control before she realized she had missed her chance. She hoped her future-self planned for this exact event and that it would right itself as needed.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Hermione headed for her kitchen to get a drink when a knock sounded on her door. Her parents were at the practice so she knew it wouldn't be anyone they knew and she had not been expecting anyone from the Order today. Pulling her wand she cautiously made her way to her door and peeking through the peep hole Hermione froze in shock. Standing on her porch looking completely jumpy and out of place was Draco in horribly transfigured muggle clothing and a hat that did nothing to truly hide his signature hair.

Knowing she should ignore it but being unable to, Hermione slowly unlocked the door and opened it just enough to meet his eyes through the crack.

"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?"

Her whispered words seemed ridiculous but being too cautious was never a bad idea when one was in a war.

"I'm sorry Granger. I know I shouldn't even be here but you're haunting me and I can't sleep or eat or even think properly and I think it has to do with that Merlin be damned journal of yours. I keep dreaming about meeting up with you and then pulling you into my arms with that fucking thing between us and then blackness. It's driving me insane and considering who is in my house this summer and my new position in the war…I cannot afford this distraction!"

The irritation and fear is his voice erased any notion to tell him to sod off and ignoring the voice of Severus in her head telling her not to do it, Hermione opened the door enough to pull Malfoy in before shutting it and throwing the bolt and wards back into place.

Waving her wand she turned his 1940's look into a sleek black suit that befitted a Malfoy before gesturing him through her home and into the kitchen. Pulling the kettle out, Hermione set about making tea as she covertly watched Draco taking in his muggle surroundings. As she turned on the stove and set the water to heating, he walked over and looked at what she was doing in confusion.

"What are all these weird contraptions and what are you doing with the tea?"

Her chuckle was quiet but still caused him to look at her and she realized they were close enough that she could see the small flecks of blue in his otherwise silver eyes again. Her swallowing sounded louder to her ears than normal and as he licked his lips and dropped his eyes to her lips, she realized the compulsion had obviously took a turn Tom would not have anticipated or liked. And she was tempted to give in just so she could shove that in his face for being such a pain in the ass. However, she did not want to cause Draco more pain so instead she stepped back from him and crossed her arms in a defensive position.

"They are appliances and I am making it the muggle way."

Holding up her hand she shook her head at him.

"If we both make it through this war alive and you still want an education in the muggle world from me after…I promise I will take all the time you want to show you everything I possibly can about how I grew up. Until then let's just say it's a muggle thing and leave it alone for now…okay?"

His slight grin and nod of agreement had her breathing out a sigh of relief until his eyes snapped up to look at the ceiling toward the direction of her bedroom and his fists clenched as his face crinkled with pain.

"Damn him….I am going to kick his ass for this. I am so sorry Draco. He is getting impatient and is impossible to control or even make deals with once his mind is set on something. He told me last week he wanted to be here with me but I thought I had convinced him to leave you alone."

Shaking his head as if to clear it from something, Draco met her eyes again and tried to give her a smile but it came off more like a grimace.

"Just go get the journal Granger before my head explodes. I don't think I can take any more of the hissing in my head."

Nodding at him, she jogs up the stairs and comes back down a few minutes later with the journal in hand. Setting it on the counter she takes the whistling tea pot off the stove and pours him a cup of Earl Grey tea with two sugars and no milk.

Raising his eyebrow at her in a very real interpretation of Severus, he takes a sip before setting it on the table.

"How do you know how I like my tea Granger and did you know Earl Grey is my favorite?"

The blush that steals over her cheeks causes him to tilt his head in intrigue.

"I might have paid attention during meal times at Hogwarts. It's a thing for me to know how people I might talk to like their tea. My mother says it's a hostess's job to know how people take their tea and that a proper lady always pays attention to make sure she is prepared and…"

Putting his finger over her lips to stop her rambling, Draco gives her a soft smile as his eyes seem to melt until they look more like warm steel.

"Thank you Granger for making me important enough in your life to memorize my preference of tea."

She could tell that her smile was on the shy side and trying to find her Gryffindor courage nodded at him and leaned against the counter with a feigned nonchalance she did not feel.

Watching the emotions play across his face Hermione almost wished she was allowed to read his mind because her curiosity was eating her alive wondering what he was thinking to cause such obvious changes to his normally very stoic face. Seeming to come to a decision, Draco took one more sip of his tea before straightening his posture and walking over to her until he was right up against her.

Gripping the counter in apprehension and looking up at him, Hermione realized that over the year he had grown another inch at least and the difference in their heights made her nervous with him so close. Worried she had truly made a mistake, Hermione bit her lip while trying to think of what to say.

The groan that left his throat was enough to snap her eyes back to his and the desire that burned away the coldness of the silver caused her breath to catch in her lungs.

"Draco…"

Her questioning and worried tone seemed to only make it worse as he licked his lips and gave her a heart stopping grin.

"If he is going to push so hard to get me here so he can use my body for his whims then I am going to get a memory out of it as well. Maybe next time he will think before he decides to play puppet master with a Malfoy."

Her eyes going wide at his angry tone, Hermione starts to open her mouth to talk him down when her face is suddenly in his hands and his lips are moving with an expert touch across hers. Though her heart and brain were on board with pushing him away, her body remembered his taste and his smell and with the hormones of a teenage girl, Hermione's mind blanked as his tongue caressed hers before pulling back so his lips could pillow her bottom lip between them and suck it into his mouth.

Hermione lost track of time as he masterfully led her into a whirl wind of feelings with his mouth alone. Grabbing her around the waist he lifted her until she was sitting on her parent's counter top and level with him. Not breaking the kiss at all, Draco pushed between her thighs until he was nestled against her warm center with his very obvious hard cock. Rolling his hips once, he pulled back just slightly to taste her moan on his tongue and her breath against his lips.

"Tell Tom I said hello would you Hermione?"

Setting his lips back on hers as she gasp and sliding his tongue back in to duel with hers, Draco lifted his hand from her hip and slammed it forcefully down on the journal. The heat and pain was not as intense this time and as the blackness took him he couldn't help but smile to himself at how pissed off the Dark Lord was about to be.

BREAK

Tom had been waiting with very little patience in his dorm room. He knew the Malfoy brat was near the journal. He could feel the runes activating and the blood lines of the circle were vibrating at his nearness. He had been pushing on the ritual circle for over a week now and with increasing strength as the little stuck up pureblood shit was very obviously fighting the compulsion. The boy needed to learn now who his master truly was.

Waiting with his hand on the journal for the pull of the spell to activate, Tom's anger only seem to increase as his proximity got closer and even closer until he knew he had to be within reach and still had not touched it. Just as he was about to send another large push of his magic to force the boy's compliance the sensation of falling hit him and his world turned black for a moment.

As his mind caught up to his soul and righted itself he realized he was already in HG's arms and was already kissing her and the reality of how and why pushed his temper past controllable as he broke away and violently stumbled back from her.

Meeting her glazed eyes, he could tell she had been thoroughly snogged and in that moment he knew he would kill the youngest Malfoy the day he was born for this slight. No one…NO ONE touched what was his and lived to tell the tale!

He watched her eyes clear as she took is his furious eyes and posture and he watched as his intelligent little Gryffindor shored up her defenses for the oncoming fight.

"You can drop all that anger right now Tom. You only have yourself to blame for what just happened. I told you to leave him alone and I would find a way to make it feel completely real for us in the journal if you gave me some time…and you couldn't seem to do that."

Stalking back to her he caged her in as he stared at her eyes in fury.

"He touched what's mine and you let him!"

Her eye roll almost caused him to forget his promise as his hands clenched in preparation of wrapping around her throat.

"He touched what you have been taunting him with for over a week Tom. What did you expect would happen when you tormented a teenage boy with dreams both asleep and awake of a girl in his arms that he could never seem to stay awake to have completely? He looked awful! He hasn't been eating or sleeping right and all he could think about was me and getting to me. You could have gotten him seriously hurt or killed with his situation at his home right now! Hell with him being here you still might you selfish prick!"

Shoving him away from her, Hermione pushed off the counter and stalked away from him in a temper of her own. Fuming as he moved to catch up with her, Tom grabbed her arm and spun her around and into the wall without a thought for her comfort. Pushing his body against hers he growled at her as he tilted her head to look at him by gripping her hair and pulling.

"You kissed him back Hermione! How the fuck am I supposed to take that or react to that? You weren't pushing him away when I showed up…you were enjoying it!"

Her hiss of anger made his cock pulse in anticipation and as she raked her nails across his arm causing him to release her with a hiss of his own, her shove knocked him off balance and he stumbled backwards and into the kitchen table.

"What did you expect Riddle? My very first ever sexual experience…which was fucking mind blowing…may have been with your mind and soul but it was his body. It was him I smelled and tasted…not you. My body remembers that and him and reacted to that stimulus when he kissed me. I didn't ask you to maul me for my very first time as Draco bloody Malfoy and I cannot help now that my body reacts to him the way you showed it how to!"

Pushing off of the table, he started to step forward only to be shoved back onto the table by her magic as she lunged at him and leaned over him to keep him pinned there.

"You said you cared for me! How could you do that to me then?"

Her eyes filling with tears, Hermione moved off of him and backed away with a hand clawing at her chest over her heart.

"I do care about you. Everything in me screamed to stop at first but it was like I didn't have complete control over my own body. He kissed me and the desire flared so fast that I was swept under it and into the maelstrom with him. I was mad at you for forcing him and mad that it was the only way I could see you in my time line and I just stopped fighting the pull to him."

Standing again and taking a step towards her as the tears tumbled from her eyes Tom froze as she cried out in fear and stumbled away from him, landing in a heap on the floor at his feet.

"Do not touch me in that body!"

Her movements' jerky with her tears, Hermione pushed with her hands and feet to slide further away from him before bringing her knees up and curling into herself as her whimpers turned to sobs.

"I'm sorry…I don't know why I let him do that. I don't even have a rational or reasonable excuse. He wasn't you and I knew it at the time and I still didn't make him stop. I'm sorry baby…."

His anger fading with her apology Tom moved forward and bent down to lift her into his arms. The ache in his chest settled just a little as she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. Walking with her into what he guessed was a family room, Tom gently sat on the sofa and pulled her against him more as she curled into his lap. Rubbing her back with soothing circles he thought about what she had said and described to him and what little anger he had left faded away.

"Dove…please stop crying. I am not so sure it was entirely your fault."

Looking up at him with tear streaks and red eyes her confusion was plan to see on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"I think I may have made the compulsion strong enough that it transferred to you as well. It was meant to make him feel like he could not stay still and it was supposed to be directed toward needing to be near you. Have you been feeling antsy lately?"

Her look of realization made him groan at his stupidity and he wiped her face dry.

"It is my apology that needs to be made Dove. It seems in my quest to see you I caused you to feel the same thing as I forced on the young Mr. Malfoy. I did not consider how it would affect you or even the piece of my future self when I intensified the compulsion to come to you. I am sorry Hermione…I never meant to have it affect you in such a way. I would never intentionally cause you to want anyone else but me and you know that."

Her nod and small smile eased another knot that had been forming in his chest and as he pulled her against him again and placed a kiss on the top of her head, Tom realized he needed to start listening to her about when they could and could not see each other. He had been feeling as if he was losing her in some way the last few weeks and he forgot that being too demanding could in fact be a deadly thing for her.

"I am just glad that he still has his memories and did not end up hurting you once he got here. It won't happen again…I promise."

Feeling her relax against him Tom sunk more into the couch and just held her against him. He knew it was not appropriate but the longer they sat there the more he wanted to shift her until she was straddling his lap so he could kiss her and know they were okay.

"I can hear your brain churning Riddle…what has you so deep in thought?"

Looking up at him, her eyes and face had cleared of the tears and the obvious amusement made him chuckle in spite of his heavy thoughts.

"Honestly?"

Her glare and then nod had him smiling at her.

"We are supposed to always be honest or just say we aren't going to answer…so of course honestly you snake."

He let the thoughts he was having reflect in his eyes as he looked down into hers.

"I was thinking that it was inappropriate but I wanted nothing more than to turn you so that you are straddling me and kiss you and hold you against me and make you moan and cry out my name so I know that we are okay and I did not fuck up too much with this newest tantrum of mine."

Her smile when it comes is full of forgiveness and affection and shifting herself she throws a leg over his and lowers herself back into his lap with her hands running gently through his hair. She meets his eyes and he can feel her push and then her walls come down. Pushing forward just enough with his magic he watches her smile melt into one full of an emotion he can't quite name as she sees him instead of the Malfoy heir.

"It probably is since at this point we are taking horrible advantage of Draco again…but at the moment I am willing to overlook the faux pas since you are already here with me."

Tilting his head back as she leans forward he eagerly meets her lips with his as he wraps his arms around her and pulls her tight against him. For a moment he is thrown because this kiss is entirely different than any she has given him before. Where he is used to kisses between them causing his blood to boil and his body to tense in need, this one seemed to loosen every inch of him and as he seemed to melt below her she seemed to melt into him. He had no idea what he was feeling or what was happening but he couldn't seem to conjure any care to try at that moment.

Pulling away from his lips, Hermione nipped at his bottom lip once and then again before leaning back enough to look at him and smile.

"I missed you. I know we saw each other not that long ago in the journal but I missed you terribly these past few days."

Looking back and forth between her beautiful eyes he sees her honesty in them and his heart beat hits so hard that it feels like it is going to burst from his chest. Deciding words would not be enough Tom stood with his arms full of her and turned until he could lay her gently on the couch. Settling himself over her he met her lips with his again and let his mouth tell her in other ways how much he missed her too.

The sighed moan that left her lips and ghosted across his lips made his blood heat to a simmer. Going slowly so that she could tell him to stop if she wanted Tom slid his hand over her hip and slowly under her shirt. Taking his time to enjoy the sensation of her skin against the pads of his fingers Tom ventured up her side and along her ribs until he had a handful of his wife in his hand. Thumbing her nipple to a tight peak as she whimpered under him only encouraged him and using his other hand he lifted her leg up more until she followed his lead and wrapped both her legs around him.

Holding himself off of her with his free arm, he gently ran his thumb over her brow and forehead and continued to kiss her as if she was water and he was dying of thirst. He kept both of his hands slow and gentle until she arched with a frustrated moan to try to get more friction from him. Keeping his lips from forming the smirk he wanted to let loose, Tom changed the angle of his hand just enough to roll her nipple and then pinch it with a little more pressure. Her moan turned to a whine of need and knowing he was not going to be able to keep his promise if he did not stop he slid his hand away from her breast and held her side in a gentle squeeze instead.

"Hermione…dove…I want you too much to keep doing this. If we don't stop I am not sure I will be able to later."

Her whine was full of frustrated understanding and as her lust filled eyes met his he had to grit his teeth not to go back in to kiss that pout off her face.

"You're right. As much as I want to feel you inside me…I will not use Draco that way without his permission. Not to mention I am not sure it has occurred to you that if we go all the way that it will be another man's body that takes my innocence…not yours."

His possessive growl is one she knows well and with a smile and a kiss to his nose she throws her hand over her eyes and sighs.

"Taking you in the journal…no matter how real you make it feel…is still not going to be the real thing either. Damn it…why did you have to born so much later than me? I want you in my arms and beside me and at night under me until the end of time and you are fucking 50 years out of my reach!"

Moving her arm and opening her eyes, she looks at his face to memorize his passion and his need before he remembers to hide it behind his mask again.

Opening and closing her mouth multiple times, Hermione tries to make her voice work. His brows draw down in confusion as he runs his thumbs gently along her cheeks.

"What is it dove?"

Knowing it was pointless to keep it in any longer, Hermione meets his eyes and places her hand over his and pulls it down until it is touching her chest where her heart is beating like a trapped butterfly.

Keeping her eyes one his and leaving her walls down so he can feel her words through their mental connection, Hermione throws the last of her resistance away.

"I love you Tom…with every breath I take."


	15. Chapter 15-Almost Paradise

**Greetings my fellow witches and wizards!**

**It seems this story has decided to just ignore my planned outline and do whatever it wants to do so I give up. I will just have to let it have its way and hope that in the end it turns out the way I had planned...the road to get there may just be a little more...twisty! LOL**

**I am moving on to 'Storm' now as this one was kind enough to write itself in only a few hours. Hooray for Tom being such a fun inspiration. All my Slytherin love to you.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione wasn't sure what she expected once the words were out. She knew Tom could go so many ways with that one moment. She figured he would settle on sarcastic humor to cover up his confusion or he would blank on her and do everything he could to change the subject to one he could understand and control. She did not expect what happened at all.

For a moment his eyes stared into hers with a look of surprise and confusion. Then when she expected the sarcastic quip or the mask to fall back into place, a slow but beautiful smile lit his face. There was a hint of his usually smugness as well but he never did smile without a little of that. It had become just another part of the way he smiled. Another thing she couldn't help but love about him.

Shifting so that his body slotted perfectly with hers, Tom put an arm on each side of her head, caging her in so all she could see was him. Placing his hands so they framed her head and gently running his thumbs back and forth across her forehead, he looked back and forth between her eyes for what felt like an eternity before speaking.

"Say it again."

The words were no less of a command than normal but the soft timber soothed away Hermione's need to rebel on principle to being told what to do. Instead she wrapped her arms around his back and rubbed affectionately up and down as she licked her lips.

"I love you Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr."

His eyes softened as his breathing picked up slightly and she watched his pupils dilate.

"Again!"

Feeling like she almost couldn't catch her breath at the way he was looking at her, Hermione forced her body to stay relaxed under his as she kept her eyes on his.

"I…love…you."

His hands gripped her hair a moment before his lips came back down to brush against hers. His grip revealed the intensity he was feeling but his lips belied that vigor and were as soft as she had ever felt them. For a moment it was like being caught in the eye of a hurricane…knowing that though it was peaceful where you were standing if you slid in any direction just enough you would be battered and blown around by the violence of the storm. And at that precise moment, Hermione could not decide if she wanted to shift or try to stay perfectly still.

Pulling back just enough for his lips to form words against hers, Tom surprised her and took the choice away as he flung them out of the peaceful center and into the very heart of the wind and rain.

"I know I'm cursed and I know that I can't feel it correctly. But I know without a doubt that it's there and that you are going to help me free it…free me. I love you too Hermione…more than life itself."

She could not contain the cry of surprise and need as she lifted to fuse their lips back together. Her mind blanking of everything else except Tom's words, she reached down and pulled, discarding the removed shirt to the floor as her hands roamed over him in desperation. Tom was not any more controlled and with very little effort had lifted them both up with tongues still battling between their lips to yank her shirt over her head as well. Falling back to the couch the feeling of skin on skin caused both of them to groan into each other's mouths.

Running her nails down his back before gripping his waist to use as leverage, Hermione canted her hips up as she rolled her now pulsing core against his hardening cock. His growl of approval was followed by a nip at her bottom lip that made her moan wantonly as he returned her roll with a push of his own, grinding down into her with little restraint.

His hands which had been cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples to hard peaks slid down her sides and inward as he used his knees to lift enough to wrap his fingers around the button of her jeans. Just as it gave way and he reached for the zipper, the knock on the door caused both of them to freeze and forget to breath.

Both slowly turned their heads to look at the door as another repetitive knock sounded. She could here Tom grit his teeth in frustration before quietly rolling off of her and picking up their shirts. Helping her into hers first, he smoothed down her hair as his panting breaths caused a few curls to flutter along her cheek.

As he started to turn his shirt right side out to pull it on Tom hissed in pain and grabbed his left forearm right over what Hermione now saw was the dark mark burned into his alabaster skin…no not his skin…Malfoy's! With that realization flooding back into her mind, Hermione's eyes jerked back up to the door in terror.

"I know he is in there Miss Granger. My mark allows me to find any one of my soldiers at a moment's notice. These wards cannot hold me out but if I break them we know the Order will be alerted and that will not give us near enough time to talk. Open the door and let me in or the next time I see the Malfoy whelp, I will kill him as a lesson for you that you should never disobey me."

Her entire body convulsing in fear as that cold voice hissed through her doorway caused Hermione to stumble back and into the warm arms of said Malfoy heir. Looking up she could see the fire of lust dying in his eyes as Tom pulled his shields up around his own mind and pulled her against him in a very possessive and protective hold.

"You have to go…now! He cannot be allowed to get his hands on you trapped in Draco's body Tom!"

His eyes moved from glaring at the door to look her in the eye as he shook his head.

"I am not leaving you alone with him. You are terrified dove and you have not ever been this scared since I have known you. I would never leave you like that!"

Their whispered words seemed harsh in the complete silence of her house and as she studied his eyes she realized that he wasn't going to listen to her.

"You are not capable of acting as if you are Draco and he will notice the difference immediately. You risk us all and everything we are trying to do by staying. If he gets you he may very well kill me and be done with it. Please Tom you have to leave!"

"I will not ask again Hermione. Open the door right now or the consequences will be on your head dove."

The violent shutter was unavoidable as her beloved pet name from Tom slithered through the door from the boogie man's very mouth. The tears that sprang to her eyes were involuntary and Tom's grip tightened around her as he growled at the door.

"Show me how to act Hermione…now!"

Pulling her chin so her eyes met his, she felt him push at her natural walls and without a thought she let him in, pulling up any and all memories or discussion she had had with Professor Snape about how to defer to the Dark Lord and what to say or rather not to say.

Nodding his head at her as he pulled out of her memories, she watched as her confident and proud Tom faded right before her eyes and became a scared and submissive teenage boy. Astounded at the transformation, she almost fell as he let her go to push her towards the door.

"Go open it Granger before our Lord decides that killing me would be more beneficial."

Realizing he was acting as Draco, Hermione tried to swallow around her dry mouth and walked in trembling steps to the door. Pulling on every ounce of Gryffindor courage she could find, she wiped her eyes of the tears and lifted her chin in a very rebellious way before unbolting and unlocking the door. Opening it like you take a Band-Aid off, hoping that the shock would be over quickly, she was not prepared to set eyes on the monster that Harry had described to her.

Not able to contain it she gasped as she stumbled back and away from him, tripping into Draco and grabbing hold of his shirt to keep herself upright. As Voldemort stepped into her family home, his very presence made the air taste like dark magic and death and she couldn't help but shutter again in the arms of her Slytherin heir.

The Dark Lord looked around so nonchalantly that she was tempted for a moment to brandish her wand just to wipe that bored but disapproving sneer off of his face. Her need to survive kept her from making that mistake though as she stood up straighter, keeping her body planted firmly between him and Tom.

"For a little muggleborn witch…you are quite a pain to find dove. The Order has you well-hidden and warded. If not for the young Mr. Malfoy I dare say I may not have found you this summer either."

Done looking around at her living room, Voldemort turned his eyes to her and she had to bite her tongue as she was met with the face of a monster that had the eyes of the boy who held her heart. She was so used to Tom having a cold look to his eyes that that did not even registered anymore.

"You found me…what do you want?"

Her voice did not shake as she spoke and she used that pride in herself to further build her courage against the fear he invoked. If she was going to be tortured or killed today…she was going to do it like a true Gryffindor and not some sniveling coward.

He moved so fast she did not have time to even consider a counter and her cry of pained terror was another involuntary action as he was suddenly in front of her and had yanked her face back to look up at him roughly by her hair.

"You will temper your tone to one of respect dove or I will have to teach you the meaning of the word to me…do you understand?"

She felt a firm grip on her waist that was concealed by the way her body was being bent and she knew that not only was Tom trying to hold his own temper in check, he was trying to remind her to hold hers.

"Yes!"

Her answer came through gritted teeth but she did her best to keep the tone even and leave her anger and fear in the back of her mind.

"Yes what?"

"Yes…I understand."

"Come now Hermione…do not make me force it out of you. You know what I want to hear you say."

Her whimper as he tightened his grip on her hair even more seemed to cause a spark of anger to surface past his shields as she felt Tom's magic flare against her where he was touching her and his grip tensed to almost bruising.

"I don't want to die today or even be tortured but I am not going to do what you want. You are not my master and I will not defer to you as such…Voldemort."

His hiss at his name falling from her lips made her eyes widen but that was the only thing she allowed to show her emotions as she built up her walls thicker and stronger to shove her emotions behind.

Letting her hair go with a shove caused her to fall against Tom and as he wrapped his arm around her to keep her upright, she saw Voldemort's eyes flash red and she ripped herself out of his arms holding her hands up to ward off the coming rage.

"He didn't do it on purpose. He was only trying to keep himself upright so he had to touch me to catch me…that's all."

Her tone was placating and the same one she used when Tom was furious and his anger got the best of him and her shock though very deep was very real as the Dark Lord lowered his wand and the red flickered before receding from his eyes.

"Step away from him Miss Granger before I decide he needs a reminder of his place as well."

Biting her lip, Hermione took two steps forward but kept her body in the line of fire of Draco's still. It did not seem to be far enough as the hissed _more_ made her skin feel like it was crawling with worms as she obeyed and stepped forward another two steps. She was now closer to the Dark Lord than to Tom and her fear seemed to double inside her chest but she kept her face blank as she stared him down.

"What have you done to me?"

His question caught her completely off guard and titling her head in confusion, she studied his snake like face for any clue what he was referring to.

"It is vague but you are in my memories. You appear like a blur or a phantom and then you are gone. Nothing is concrete and I never can hold on to the moments for long but I know your face and your voice and your…smile. No one smiles at me that way so what have you done to me?"

His voice hissed out in rage at the end and as she took a retreating step away from him, he stepped forward and into her until he was nose to nose…or would have been if he still had a nose…with her.

"What have you done? Why do I want to hear you talk? Why do I have this disgusting urge to touch your face or wipe the fear from your eyes? Why do I feel like you are mine and should be by my side? I need no one and I despise this weakness in other people so what have you done to me? Why did Draco touching you make me want to cut his hands from his body the muggle way? Answer me…what have you done?"

As he spoke his eyes turned steadily to that red that was an obvious indication of his loss of control and as he yelled the last 'one' he reached out and wrapped his hand around her neck, holding none too gently and restricting her air flow slightly.

"My lord…if I may?"

The softly spoken words filled with trepidation caused Hermione to whimper as she tried to shift her eyes to look at the forgotten boy in the corner of the room. His head was bowed in respect and though his posture was still aristocratic his demeanor screamed fear and submission. She idly wondered if Tom had been pushed out by Draco in this moment of danger.

"You may speak Draco but choose your words carefully."

"Of course my Lord. Granger was given a way to communicate with you in the past. She has been conversing with you during your school days and they have formed a bond of sorts during the time spent. I think you are experiencing the residual effects of that bond as the memories trickle their way through time and get to you."

His hand dropped away from her neck as his eyes snapped back to hers and a look of horror bled into and out of his eyes so fast she thought she might have missed it.

"How have you managed that?"

Stepping back and pointing his wand at her chest, his eyes turned from raging fire to a cold inferno and she shivered at how dead his eyes looked in that moment. She was glad they were still red and not her beloved blue.

"Tell me or I will make you wish that you had obeyed me the first asking!"

Looking back over her shoulder and seeing the commanding look in those silver eyes disguised as pleading, she knows it is not Draco but Tom still standing there and she can only hope he is strong enough to withstand the coming moments.

"No."

Her answer delivered into the stifling silence sounds louder than it really was and Hermione let's her conscious mind step firmly back behind her walls as the first hissed Crucio leaves his mouth.

The pain is keener and sharper than she expected and as the scream crawls up her throat and falls from her lips she has but a moment to understand why this curse can drive people to insanity before she has no time for anything else except pain.

When the pain lifts her mind is left in a thick fog that she can't seem to shake and though she can hear yelling around her the words do not make any sense at first. As her mind clears and her ears catch up to her brain she knows that things have only escaladed from bad to worse.

Blinking her eyes to look around she realizes that her entire living room has been demolished by spell fire as the two wizards in front of her circle each other looking for another way to break through and hit their opponent. Draco or rather Tom's look of seething determination is only eclipsed by the intense rage that is pulsing in the air from Voldemort. Moving slowly, Hermione manages to push to her knees and pull her wand from her pocket.

"You and I are the same. How could you let that little mudblood close enough to ruin our plans? She is nothing!"

As he speaks, Voldemort throws a few wordless spells that bounce off of Tom's shield and rebounded into the wall behind him. Tom follows with his own spells and as one almost catches Voldemort in the side, he turns and dodges in a beautiful and hypnotic dance. Though she knew Tom was powerful…he was not yet a match for his older and more educated self. Refusing to see him hurt, she summons the journal to her hands and lunges at them both with a cry born of terror for the boy she loves.

As both startled and snap their heads her way, she slams into Tom and shoves the journal against his chest. Looking him in the eyes, she focuses as best she can and steps sideways, pulling him along with her. The rage filled yell is the last thing she hears as the squeeze of apparition takes her away into the dark and spits her back out rolling onto green grass and the smell of pine filling her nose.

As her vision starts to turn black, she sees silver eyes lean over her and can vaguely hear Draco calling to her from what seems like very far way. Not wanting to deal with the pain wracking her body anymore, she lets the oblivion take her and dreams of dark haired boys with red eyes and blonde angels in silver clouds.


	16. Chapter 16-It Takes Two

**Greetings my fellow Tomione fans!**

**As promised I have conjured up the next installment of drama and angst for you to devour and enjoy. I hope it was worth the wait as I know you all had to be patient as I got through updating 'Storm'. **

**Any and all mistakes are mine and mine alone. I can't even blame the characters because I'm pretty sure they would have caught them all being ridiculously smart! All my Slytherin love and blessings.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione came awake abruptly, sitting up with a jerk and hating herself the moment she did. The pain that flared along her nerves was almost as bad as the original curse and with a muffled cry as she bit her lip to keep it in Hermione fell back down and curled into a fetal position. Holding tight as her body went into spasms Hermione tried to remember the last thing she was conscious for. Closing her eyes as she recognized the hospital ward at Hogwarts just from the row of beds she thought of pine trees and green grass. The Forest of Dean! That was where she had taken them to save Tom and herself from the Dark Lord. How did she get to Hogwarts?

Of course the answer came to her at the same time the bed dipped and the smell of sandalwood drifted to her. A warm body pressed up against her back and pulled her closer. A pale hand with long refined fingers came into view as he brushed her hair from her face and then hugged her by sliding said hand and arm across her chest and under her cheek to hold her shoulder. She wanted to pull away or complain but as he settled his nose in her hair and seemed to relax, his magic thrummed along her body and everywhere it touched her pain started to fade and warmth took over.

Sighing in relief as her body started to melt in relaxation; Hermione looked over her shoulder into the silver eyes of Draco and wondered if it was him this time or still Tom behind those cloud filled irises. The worry that she could see was a nice balm on her battered emotions and turning to face him before moving as close as she could to his warmth Hermione waited to see if anything he did or said gave away who she was dealing with.

"Are you doing okay Granger?"

Ah…Draco…at least she knew Tom was safely back in his time line then and not here for the Dark Lord to get his hands on. Though now she had to try to explain to Draco how fucked they both were. Opening her mouth to answer her voice came out hoarse and scratchy and Draco sat up to get her some water. After a few small sips he put the glass back and lay facing her again.

"I'm as okay as one can be after a long round of the torture curse. Are you okay?"

His eyes widening, Draco touched her face gently as his eyes turned sad.

"Did he torture you because of the way he came through? I didn't mean for you to get hurt over my angry outburst Granger…I'm so sorry!"

Her smile felt weak and pulled at sore muscles in her face as she placed her hand on his face.

"It wasn't Tom. The Dark Lord found us using your mark. He threatened to kill you if I didn't let him in. Tom played being you quite well until snake face started torturing me…all bets were off after that. He attacked him and was in the middle of a duel when I came to enough to grab the journal and him and apparate us to safety. I'm surprised moldy-shorts isn't calling you relentlessly now."

The sheepish grin he gave her confused her until he sat up and pulled his left sleeve up passed his forearm to show perfectly flawless pale skin. Her confusion she knew was etched deeply on her face as she sat up wincing and took his arm in her hands. Running her fingers over the skin she looked up into his startled eyes. Blushing she pulled her hands away to twist them in her lap.

"How?"

His shrug was nonchalant but she could see the relief under the gesture.

"My guess would be Tom. I woke up here too with the journal wrapped in my arms and my arm stinging as if healing. I put the journal down to look and realized I was free of the mark and him. I don't know what all he did but my parents are here and safe too. They are being set up with rooms at a safe house as we speak by Severus…who by the way was very angry when he heard what happened…at least what I could tell him. Told me to tell you he would be back for a full report as soon as he could return."

Her grin was wider at that thought as she giggled. Looking around she started to ask him where her journal was when he took her hand and slid it under her pillow until her fingers caressed the cover of the journal. Her sigh of contentment was very audible as she closed her eyes and shivered from the magic pulsing off the journal.

Opening her eyes she started at how close Draco was and couldn't help but wonder about the regretful look he had in his eyes and across his face.

"It's a shame he already has your heart Hermione. I find now that I am free to do what I want…I want you back in my arms like you were not that long ago. You are a beautiful witch and any wizard would be lucky to have you at his side. I just wish it could be me and not one that is 60 years in the past."

As his thumb rubs under her eye and down her cheek gently she realizes a few tears have escaped and she drops her head to keep from seeing that look anymore. How is it she went from being alone on a mission of danger and great importance to being in love with one wizard and sorry she couldn't be in love with the other two who seemed to want her too? If her life was not already complicated…it would be so now.

"Please don't be upset. I understand and I don't begrudge your choice or your happiness. If anything, I want to help you like Severus does so that you can be successful in your mission and save us all. If what he explained is true then none of this will matter in the end. Tom will not become the Dark Lord and the world will not be at war over blood status and maybe we will get a new start and be allowed in the new future to be friends instead of enemies from day one."

Meeting his eyes she can't help but smile at the soft one he is giving her. She nods her head and with a wince starts to slide down so she is prone again and not having to hold up her abused and sore body any longer. He follows her down and at her confused look he shrugs and opens his arms.

"Even bossy know-it-all Gryffindor heroes need to be held sometimes. If I can't be the one who has your heart…at least let me be the one who gets to hold you when you are hurt or sad or just in need of a hug….please."

Knowing it was a bad idea but not caring at the moment, Hermione rolls over and lets him pull her back against his chest. Snuggling closer and sighing in a moment of quiet bliss, Hermione holds his hand that is over her heart and slides her other hand under the pillow to rest under the journal. As sleep takes her again she can't help but wonder what other problems were going to be there when she woke once again.

* * *

The next time she came awake it was to low voices arguing across the room from her bed. Keeping her eyes closed she wandlessly cast an eavesdropping spell Severus had taught her before settling back into her pillow.

"Draco! For the last time you cannot be seen cuddling up to a mudblood! It doesn't matter what side of this war we are on now…we have a reputation and values to uphold!"

The deep baritone growl that came from closer to her bed had to be Severus and as Draco ground out his next words through obviously gritted teeth, Hermione quietly turned over and opened her eyes to stare into the black depths of his eyes.

"Call Hermione a mudblood one more time father and you can find a new heir to carry on your archaic values and lousy reputation. She is a friend and if I had the option she would be more than that! You will either learn to keep your idiotic opinions to yourself and be at least civil near her or you can stay the hell away from the two of us. I plan to be beside her till the end of this now and if she needs a friend to hold her…I plan to be on the short list of people she can and will come to…regardless of what you pointlessly demand!"

Hermione watched Severus eyes fill with pride as his godson stood up to his father and whatever he was watching had to have been escalating because he tensed and his wand appeared in his hand and ready to be used.

"You will speak to me with respect young man or I will teach you that lesson again! Malfoy's do not associate with mudbloods!"

The laugh that fell from Draco's mouth had Hermione a little worried. It was almost as cold and reckless as some of the one's Tom would let escape his control when he was thinking of a particularly amusing but dangerous thought.

"Then I guess I no longer need to be a Malfoy do I?"

The scoffing noise was so beneath Lord Malfoy that she had to bite her lip to keep from snorting out a laugh herself. At her obvious movement, Severus cocked his head just enough to keep the Malfoy's in his peripheral while looking down at her. He raised an eyebrow with mirth shining in the inky depths and she covered her mouth to keep in the laugh.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean my dragon?"

His tone seemed to soften as he addressed his mother but it was no less full of resolve.

"It means Mother that if he pushes me, I will follow some of those archaic rules of the pureblood family and I will ask Godfather to adopt me fully so that I am no longer a Malfoy but a Snape and Father can go find a new Malfoy heir to beat into submission. I will not stand here and let him or you tell me how I can live my life or who my friends can be any longer."

The gasp that came from Lady Malfoy was so full of heartbreak that Hermione felt tears spring to her eyes again. It had to be the torture that wracked her body not that long ago because she was normally not this easily pushed to emotion.

"You wouldn't dare. You would give up every single amenity being a Malfoy affords you. Your godfather may be a powerful wizard but he could not possibly keep you in the luxury you are accustomed to. Not to mention we are old friends he would not dare agree to such a request!"

His eyes leaving hers as they take on a burning anger, Severus stands slowly and crosses his arms in his very well-known Professor Snape persona.

"And I assure you Lucius that if my godson, whose care was magically bound to me in the ceremony, comes to me and asks that I take him away from your abuse and into my home…nothing will stand in my way. Not even his arrogant, pompous peacock of a father. I have had to sit and watch you drown him in your prejudice rhetoric for his entire life and have been waiting for him to reach out. Keep that in mind…old friend."

The warning and danger that rolled from his body and through his voice as he spoke caused Hermione to shiver and thank Godric he was on her side. She could not imagine what this war would have been like if he had truly been the Dark Lord's soldier.

The silence that reigned after his statement was almost thick enough to touch and Hermione figured now would be a good time to pop her little Gryffindor head up and force people to go think about things. Shifting with a not so forced groan had Severus leaning back down to her as footsteps moved quickly across the room. Large strong hands helped her from one side while slightly smaller and gentler hands helped her from the other. Sitting up she smiled at both Severus and Draco as they moved her pillows so she could lean back and then pulled the covers up to keep her modesty safe.

"How are you feeling Miss Granger?"

"Much better Professor…thank you. I could use some water though."

Draco turned his body just enough to grab the glass on the table beside her bed and held it near her mouth. With a grin she opened her lips and he tipped the glass enough to let the refreshing water slide over her cracked lips and parched tongue. Swallowing the cool liquid down, she closed her lips and licked them once before nodding a thanks.

"Now you are waiting on her like a common servant too?"

Before Draco or Severus could speak, Hermione decided to push him that last little bit herself.

"Tell me Lord Malfoy…if Lady Malfoy were sick or hurt would you hold her water glass for her while she drank?"

His sneer was so much like Draco's used to be that she bit the inside of her lip to keep from grinning.

"If I happen to be sitting there of course I would! She is my wife!"

At that her grin did slip out and slowly formed on her face.

"Well then I am not sure I understand why you would ask Draco such a question. We are friends and care for each other quite deeply. I was thirsty and my hands are still too shaky so he was kind enough to hold my glass for me. It doesn't make him a servant…it makes him a friend and someone who cares…just like you care for Lady Malfoy."

The color draining from his face and his eyes widening as disgust rolled across his face in a frown and then a sneer, he gestured for his wife to follow and turned on his heel to walk briskly out of the hospital wing. As soon as the doors closed behind the two, the other three occupants all let their laughs and chuckles out.

"I know he is your father Draco but he is an utter prat! I see now where you got it from."

"Hey!"

The playful offense only caused her to giggle more and with a groan she wrapped one arm around her stomach to hold tight and the other she placed on her head as the laughing caused her head to ache.

"That is enough of that young lady. You have a report to give and then more potions to take to help with the pain. They will make you drowsy so I am going to have to get you to talk before you can have them…as much as I would prefer you not be in pain."

Giving him an appreciative smile, Hermione nods her head and starts to give him an update on what happened.

"I was at home when Draco showed up at my house. Even with all the wards and spells, Tom was able to pull him using the compulsion on the journal. Draco said it had been stabbing at him for weeks and I can attest that it was strong enough that even I was getting antsy sitting at home. We both knew it was not going to end until we let Tom through so I got the journal and Draco touched it."

The shrewd look he gave her told her he knew she was leaving things out but he let it slide for the moment.

"Once Tom was there everything seemed to settle. The need to get out of the house was no longer pouncing around in my head. He couldn't have been there more than an hour in all when there was another knock on the door…"

"The Dark Lord?"

Shivering she nodded at her handler while leaning into the warmth of Draco again.

"He threatened to kill Malfoy if I didn't let him in. And I know how important my mission is but I am a Gryffindor to the core Professor…I could not just say no knowing it was going to get Draco killed…I just couldn't."

Taking her hand in his and rubbing his thumb back and forth across her knuckles he sighed.

"I know you can no more willingly forfeit someone's life than you can stop reading your books Miss Granger. I understand…continue."

"I let him in and he wanted to know what I had done to him. He said he was getting vague and blurred memories about me and us. He was being plagued by the need to be near me, talk to me, and hear me laugh. He showed a violent amount of jealousy when I bumped into Draco and he caught me so I wouldn't fall. Tom told him that he and I had a bond from his time at school. I refused to tell him how that was so he tortured me."

"Wait…Tom…not Draco?"

Shaking her head yes she rubbed her arms as the hair stood on end.

"He called me dove the same way Tom does and Tom was there when he showed and wouldn't leave. I had to show him how to act like a servant to the Dark Lord and then let him in. When the torture started I lost track of time. When I came around Tom and Vol…snake face were fighting."

Almost saying his name caused Severus to flinch and as she amended the name she could see his relief and appreciation for her care.

"I grabbed the journal and ran at Tom. As soon as I had the journal between us, I apparated to the Forest of Dean. I must have blacked out at that point. The next thing I knew I was here in the hospital wing with Draco. I don't know how I got here or how Lord and Lady Malfoy were contacted."

Running his finger back and forth along his bottom lip as he listened, Severus sat up straighter and crossed his arms as she finished.

"I retrieved the Malfoy's when Draco appeared at the front gate with you unconscious in his arms. I knew he did not quite look like himself but I was too worried about you to really see it. Now I see it must have been Tom and not Draco. When I asked what happened all he would say was that it was that nose less bastard that had hurt you before he set you gently on the bed and then striding out like he was on a mission and owned the castle."

Draco pulled his sleeve back and laid his arm in her lap for Severus to see. At his widening eyes Draco chuckled.

"He was on a mission…to make sure his puppet suit was free of tracking spells so he would be able to see his paramour without dark lords interrupting I assume."

Hermione traced the unmarked skin again before quietly voicing her thoughts.

"Don't assume anything with him Draco. It is very possible he felt bad for causing it all in the first place and freed you from his control so you would not have to worry about being hurt either. Tom does things for many reasons and most of the time when he does an act of kindness there is more than one reason why."

"Why in the world would you go there in the first place Draco? Why did you not come to me when the compulsion got to be too much to handle? I could have tried to block it before the rest happened."

Hanging his head, Draco started to pull away before Hermione grabbed his arm to keep him against her and glared at the Professor.

"It takes two to make mistakes like this one Professor. He followed the compulsion yes. But I let him in! For all I knew he was sent by no nose himself and I opened the door and let him waltz right in to my house. We are all to blame one way or another so let's just move forward and figure out what to do next…okay?"

Looking into her eyes he seems to take an internal breath before nodding and giving her a small but gentle smile.

"Okay Miss Granger…you're right. What's done is done. Let's make sure it doesn't happen again shall we?"

Feeling Draco relax behind her and Severus relax before her eyes she smiles and gets more comfortable. She isn't sure how long this next conversation was going to take but she was pretty sure by the time it was over she would be ready for those potions. Slytherins really were a pain in her ass!


	17. Chapter 17-Forgiven?

**Well hello again!**

**So this one came very easy today and got completely out of my control. I admit I love roller coasters and I am starting to think my writing likes them too. I am sure I am going to get yelled at as much as loved on in reviews and I look forward to seeing how my constant reviewers react. I hope you enjoy the next leg of this crazy tale and I will see you all soon enough with the next chapter as it is in the words.**

**Don't worry my 'Storm' followers...it is in the works too.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**PS-If you want you can blame Claw and Moon, my lovely coven, for not being available to reign me in muhahahaha (yes I cackled like Bellatrix)!**

* * *

The blackness receded from his mind and Tom opened his eyes to the sight of the one person in the world he cared for. She was curled up on her side in one of the beds in the Hogwarts infirmary with one hand under her cheek and the other stretched out and holding one of his. Under his other hand was the journal and what looked like a folded piece of parchment. Not wanting to disturb her he took his time getting his hand from hers and slid the journal under her hand to replace his as he unfolded the obvious note left for him.

The beginning had several things scratched out from My Lord to Riddle and several interesting monikers in between. His curiosity peeked Tom sat back to read on.

_What does one like me call one like you after the nightmares I have lived through under your reign of terror? All of the greetings seemed flat or wrong and as I would prefer to continue breathing, I didn't want to offend. But seriously, what does one call their own personal boogie man when writing him a letter?_

_I wanted to thank you first for removing the brand I was given and for getting Hermione and I to Hogwarts. At the moment this is the safest place for both of us to be. I thought I would have to wear that thing for the rest of my life and a few years ago I was naïve enough to think of it as an honor. Now I know it for what it is…a mark to brand me as a slave, a follower, and a murderer. I never wanted that and I am more thankful to be free of it than I can ever express to you._

_I realize that this may be a bad idea and that I may have to worry about your wrath if the future you ever gets his hands on me again but for her I am willing to risk it. So I will say…you are one lucky wizard. Hermione is a special witch as I am sure you know by now. She is beautiful and witty and intelligent. Her courage is only outmatched by her compassion and the wizard lucky enough to capture her heart should do everything in his power to make her smile and keep her happy, loved, and safe!_

_That last one…that is the one you are failing at doing. I don't know what harm you can do to me as Tom Riddle from the 1960's but I am not going to be a coward any longer and risk having you fuck up that badly again. I'm willing to make you a deal if you are willing to be reasonable. I will willingly let you use my body to see her and even touch her without fighting it. In exchange you tell her when you want to see her and let us set the time so we know it is safe. No more getting impatient and forcing the issue like you did. HE could have killed her! He may have very well tortured her beautiful mind until it broke if he had not been stopped._

_I admit openly that I am not as knowledgeable or powerful as you are at this age. I would not have been able to hold him off long enough for her to come to and apparate away like she did. If it had been me instead of you I would have died trying to save her but I would have failed. She would have been tortured and possibly taken back to his lair to rape and torture more or he could have killed her and it would have been your fault. She may be yours but you are not the only wizard who looks at her and longs to have her. Don't ever put us in that position again or I will do my damnedest to take her away from you. _

_That is not a threat to you either Riddle. I know she loves you…we all can see it. I would never cause her pain or confusion by trying to charm her away from you for no reason. But if you continue to put her safety below your own needs, I will put all of my effort, charm, and everything afforded to me towards stealing her heart from your clutches. I do not wish to have you as an enemy over that so please do us all a favor and curb your impulse to get what you want the moment you want it mate. It would be a tremendous help._

_My idiot parents are in Hogwarts as well now. After we showed up they were brought her by my godfather for safe keeping. He knew they would have been killed after that little display of rebellion that looked like it came from me. If they do show up…which I have a feeling they will because my father is a dick…please don't kill them. He may be a dick but he is my father and my mother would wither away without him. And I just know he is going to say the wrong thing to you, thinking you are me, about Hermione. Keep in mind they were raised that way and you…future you…is perpetuating the beliefs._

_Take care of her while you are there. She acts strong and tough but she is still a woman and no matter how strong someone is or seems…we all need a rock to stand on or a rope to cling to when we have fallen or are broken. I have been that rock for a few days and though she has been in my arms...it was as a friend only. Do not take your anger out on her. And if I were you…I would apologize several times until you know she has forgiven you. It never ends well for the man to leave a woman angry…especially if said woman is a powerful witch._

_I was going to try sincerely, truly, with regards, and several other proper closings but realized I just do not like you that much. So…_

_With much annoyance,_

_Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy_

That bit was enough to surprise a huff of laughter from his chest and as the sound dropped into the room, Hermione groaned slightly and shifted on the bed. Moving the journal and sliding the note between the pages he kept his eyes on hers as he gently brushed a lock of hair away from her face. As she blinked her eyes open and closed to get the blur of sleep out he pushed just enough for her to know it was him and constructed his face for her to see.

Her smile when it came made his heart skip a beat and he couldn't help but return it. He noticed it took less and less effort to smile for her than it used to and he could only hope that it would take less effort in the future to feel the warmth of being in love with her too. He knew it was there but it was like a lock was placed around his heart so that he couldn't experience it. One of the things he planned to research this coming year to try to solve.

Leaning down he gave her a gentle kiss that turned heated before he could control it. It seemed she was either not as mad at him as the youngest Malfoy thought or she was still asleep enough to forget her anger. Either way it didn't matter as it was the last coherent thing he thought before sliding out of the chair and into the bed with her, wrapping his arms around her and settling himself between her parted legs. Her groan of need shimmied past his lips and down his throat and lodged in his chest before rolling back up in an answering moan of his own.

One hand sliding into her hair and the other sliding down her side to grip her waist he rolled his hips to brush his hardening length against her core and the sighed whimper that fled her mouth turned his insides to molten lava. He wasn't sure how it happened but the hiss of breath being sucked in through her teeth as she arched under him made him realize he had broken the kiss and bent to wrap his lips around her nipple and bitten down through her shirt. Easing the pressure of his teeth slightly, Tom tried to sooth the pain by rolling the clothed covered bud gently with his tongue.

Palming her other breast and kneading it gently, he rubbed his fingertips across her covered flesh until the other bud pebbled. Taking it between his fingers he rolled and squeezed in time to his lips and tongue until she was a panting mess beneath him. Her pleading only sent him deeper into his lust crazed state and not knowing exactly what she was begging him to do, he sat up far enough to yank the gown over her head and toss it to the floor before he bent to wrapped his lips around her naked breast and sucked it deep into his mouth. His other hand went back to the task of driving her mad with desperation as he kept his weight off of her enough so she could not roll and get the friction she was after.

Only when her pleas turned to outright cries of unfulfilled need did he switch the nipple his mouth was sucking at and slid his hand down and into her panties to touch her swollen clit. Dipping passed it and into her channel he collected a bit of her nectar and rubbed it over her clit before setting a punishingly quick pace of circles that had her tipping over the edge in no time at all. He swallowed her cry of release in a blazing kiss as he continued his assault on the bundle of nerves currently under his control until she keened for him to stop.

Listening to her request but only to a point he slid his fingers along her slit and buried one inside her with a couple of pumps before adding a second and nipping her lips as she hissed again.

"It's okay princess…you can take it…you can take me. You and I are fated. You fit me so perfectly and soon you will see just how perfect we fit together."

Head thrashing back and forth on the pillow, she tried to get words past the haze of pleasure he was inducing. Wanting to keep her with him in the moment he leaned up and kissed her hard and deep again until she melted in his arms. Keeping a steady rhythm with his fingers he matched it with his tongue as he caressed hers and teased until she came out to play, pushing her own into his mouth to dominate the kiss. No one else would dare try that with him and he thrilled that she was no longer scared of him or of them.

The more she relaxed under his hands the closer he got to wanting to take her fully. But he knew he would have to ask and hear her say yes before that happened. He would not take her the first time without her consent…even if her body screamed exactly that loud and clear. He listened for her gasps and grunts to turn needful again before sliding his thumb to her clit and gently pressing in circles. The reaction was instant, her body shuttering with pleasure and her almost silent gasps spilling into moans that included his name and cries to Merlin, Godric, and the muggle God.

Bending his head so his mouth was next to her ear he licked the shell once before nibbling on her ear lobe. Her shiver of delight had him repeating the movements before speaking to her in a low voice.

"I want you dove. I want you so much it hurts. Can I have you Hermione? Can I claim you as mine? Please say I can have you."

What had started as an attempt to seduce her with his voice and words into complying turned to a whispered plea as he realized he didn't just want her body at this moment. He wanted all of her surrendered to him. He wanted to look her in the eyes as he took her innocence and know it was him she was seeing. He wanted to see her love and want for him as she let him make her his. He wanted…no he needed to be so connected to her that he would never get her out of his heart, his body, his soul.

Rising just enough so he could see her eyes, Tom slid his hands away from her core and her breast and up to cup her face. As her eyes opened and looked into his he waited until the fever of desire cooled just a little in her eyes.

"I know it's not really my body and I know that I am letting another technically physically take your body the first time…but I need this with you. I almost lost you because of my inability to be patient and wait for you to come to me."

Licking his lips as his heart beat seemed to be trying to pound its way out of his chest, he reached for her hand and placed it over his heart the same way she had done before with him.

"I am alone in the dark without you and that makes me impulsive and impatient. I will never allow those traits to rule me again. Thanks to my mother, I don't have a heart of my own. You are my heart. Can you feel it? My heart only beats because of you and I would rather die than ever hurt you or lose you. You are…life Hermione and I want to drown in it so far that I never take another breath that isn't filled with you. So I ask with the promise that if you say no, I will stop this very moment…can I have you? Right here and now…can I claim you as my secret to keep until the end of time?"

He watched her eyes widen as the wheels in her head turned at a speed he was quite familiar with. Keeping a handle on his need to push, he waited barely breathing as she nibbled her lip in that sexy way of hers and considered his request. Their focus was so attuned to each other that he did not feel the presence until it was too late.

The magic rushed over his body and with a violent wrench snatched him away from his dove and flung him across the room until he slammed into the wall. Sliding quickly down until he hit the ground with a thump as Hermione's cry of outrage echoed in the room, Tom shook his head to clear it of the pain before looking up to meet the furious eyes of what he was pretty sure was Abraxas' son.

"How dare you sully our pure name and blood with that filthy, little mudblood whore! You will remember your place Draco, even if I have to obliviate her from your mind and take you away from here."

The elder Malfoy raised his wand as his voice grew from a hiss to a shout and Tom had just enough time to wandlessly and wordlessly summon his own wand from the robe across the way before the whip like spell lashed out at him. Shielding himself he rolled to the side and up to his feet with no effort at all he turned to face the wizard who attacked him. It seemed the younger Malfoy was as in shape and agile as he was in his own body.

Feeling the magic deep in his soul grind and pulse in a writhing mass of rage, Tom realized he didn't need the wand. Lifting his empty hand he flicked his fingers at the blonde and sent him flying feet over head away from him. The grunt of pain the wizard emitted as he landed in a pile of expensive robes and tangled hair made Tom smile in his usual cruel, empty way as all the warmth Hermione caused in him drained to leave the cold, darkness that he was used to.

As the wizard gained his feet, Tom used his magic to knock him to his knees again and wrapped it around his throat, squeezing just enough to cut off most of his air flow. At the look of shock and then fear bled onto his face, Tom took very measured calm steps towards his captive…the plaintive please from Hermione fading to silence in his focus.

"You should be more aware of a situation before you so blatantly try to control it Lord Malfoy. That attempt was reminiscent of a hippogriff in a china shop and a very disappointing display from such a supposedly renowned family. Abraxas must be rolling over in his tome right now at how weak and pathetic his son has become. Tell me…was it the bowing and scraping at the feet of your Dark Lord that caused such putrid skill?"

His face blanching of all color, the elder Malfoy struggled against the invisible grip on his throat as he muttered in gasping breaths.

"Who…are…you? W…where is…my son?"

The smile he gave had the man trying to shift farther away from him but his magic kept him firmly in place as he ran the borrowed wand along the prominent jaw line and down across his throat.

"Abraxas' grandson is perfectly fine and resting quietly in my body while I borrow his. I am going to have to make sure I tell your father to raise you with a firmer hand and better control. No wonder you turned out to be nothing more than a sniveling minion and not a Knight. I am disgusted by you and if you are lucky you will walk out of here alive when this is all over. You know who I am…I can see it in your eyes!"

The last word hisses out as he lets his rage loose some causing the older man to flinch and whimper as the vice around his neck tightened for just a moment. Easing back on his temper and his magical noose Tom bent over until he was nose to nose with the bigoted prat.

"You will apologize to my wife or I will cut your tongue from your mouth with a dull blade."

Sweeping to the side with a regal gesture in Hermione's direction he noticed she was covering herself with the hospital sheet. With a quick wave of his wand the sheet transmuted to a lovely set of witches robes that hugged her curves just so and as she stood cascaded down her legs to brush the floor.

"You are not who I thought you were if you willingly married a…"

"DON'T!"

Hermione's screech had even Tom wincing as she shook her head back and forth rapidly at Malfoy.

"Please Lord Malfoy…Lucius…don't be an idiot! He is who you think he is. I would prefer you not be killed on your knees in the damn hospital wing of Hogwarts so please use that brain of yours that helps you so much in political pitfalls and shut the hell up!"

His prideful smile at his fierce lioness died a quick death at the next hissed words from Malfoy.

"Do not speak to me you filthy, insolent creature. You and all your kind will be eradicated once our Lord wins this war. After we have all had a chance to play with you and fuck you until you understand your place of course."

His sneer was the ugliest she had ever seen but the venom and truth behind his words had her stumbling back and holding a hand to her throat in fear. Realizing too late that she didn't control her reaction, there was nothing she could do as the Crucio left Tom's lips in a deadly quiet voice and the screams of Lucius bounced off the walls as he dropped to convulse on the cold stone floor.

Closing her eyes and covering her ears with her hands, she did not realize she was mumbling over and over again _please stop_ until she felt warm hands cup her face and her eyes snapped open to meet that ice cold blue she had not seen in a while.

"Come back to me dove…it's okay. I'm sorry…I stopped. Are you with me again? Please say something!"

His worry was evident in his voice even if his eyes were dead and looking over his shoulder to see that Malfoy was still alive and meeting Severus' haunted eyes she straightened her spine and met Tom's eyes with a glare. Turning and stomping to the journal she flung it at him, watching as he fumbled it a few times before catching it fully.

"Leave."

Her low voice carried in the silence like a muggle gun shot and he flinched at her cold tone.

"Hermione…dove…"

"Leave!"

Her rage finally pushing past her heartache and terror sounded terribly loud in such an enclosed space and as his eyes darkened in temper as well she took a defensive stance calling her wand to her hand and holding it ready at her side.

Glancing from her hurt eyes and angered face to her posture and wand, Tom felt the darkness creep all the way back into his soul and with one finally empty look he allowed the magic of the journal to pull his soul from Draco's body and into the darkness. Draco swayed on his feet slightly before shaking his head and starting to smile at Granger before seeing her defensive stance and wand. Turning his head he dropped the journal as he sprinted to his father, sliding to his knees as he pulled him from his godfather's arms.

"Father?"

"Hermione!"

His whispered words of worry were drowned out by the shout of his godfather. Draco snapped his head up in time to see Granger's body crumple to the floor, journal in her arms.


	18. Chapter 18-Dunderheads

**Greetings my lovely Secret-icitors,**

**I know, I know, I know...I'm supposed to be writing 'Storm' but this was still in my head when I woke up today so I had to write it. Add to that that it is my anniversary and I am not staying all day today at work I needed to write one that would not take as long. The next update of 'Storm' has some fairly detailed bits and I knew it would take more than the few hours I had today. **

**So here is an update for you to read until I can get 'Storm' written tomorrow. Hope you all enjoy. This chapter is dedicated to _Stephanie MRV_ as she loves to keep me on track with all her questions. This went a little astray as my chapters want to do so I didn't get through all I promised you was coming but I will before the end of the week. **

**Hope you all enjoy and see you all at the next update.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**PS-Wanted to send some love to my Coven Witches! We gained a new member yesterday and we are excited! DevilsDaughter, who we call Snow, is now part of our little behind the scenes gab fest on facebook. Welcome Snow and much love to you and Moon and Claw. I have the best witches around!**

* * *

Tom opened his eyes and just stared up at the canopy of his four post Hogwarts bed. The Slytherin green that normally soothed him only seemed to fuel his anger and pain. Why would she turn on him for Lucius Malfoy? The man was a pompous, prejudice prick who needed to be taught some manners and control. He had pretty much threatened to torture and rape Hermione. What other response did she expect from him then retaliation? Did she think he was going to just sit back idly and let some inferior wizard talk down to his wife that way? If she was, she had fallen for the wrong wizard! There was nothing he wouldn't do to protect his witch…including torturing idiots into submission if he had to in order to keep her safe.

Gripping the journal in his hands he sat up so he could set it on his side table when it heated under his hands and his body went limp, falling back into the pillows as his mind was pulled into the journal. He didn't even really have time for surprise or concern as the world around him went dark again.

He opened his eyes to be greeted by their clearing in the forest with the object of his very thoughts standing only a few feet away from him. Her eyes were blank and he knew she was hiding her emotions behind a wall of steel in her mind. He had no idea if this was going to be the last time he saw her so he drank every inch of her in greedily.

He was surprised when she moved, walking with sure steps until she was right in front of him. With a growl of anger she shoved him with all her might and the shock of her physically attacking him caused him to stumble back a step. He caught his balance and stood just in time to catch an arm full of his witch as she jumped into his hold, wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and kissed him like he was water for her thirst.

Confusion warred with his amazement as he let himself enjoy the feel of her in his arms and against his body. Gripping her tighter, he tilted his head to deepen the kiss only to be thwarted when she pulled her lips away and pulled her arms from around his neck to smack him several times in the chest. Though the pain was minimal, he flinched just the same at the rapid fire stings.

"You are a bastard! You cannot just go around casting torture spells at everyone that pisses you off! Especially in someone else's body!"

The tirade ended with her lips on his again and her tongue dueling his causing him to groan in bewilderment and amusement. He had no idea what exactly was happening at the moment but if her ranting and hits were going to be followed by this unbridled kissing, he would let her reprimand him till the end of days. Sucking her bottom lip into his mouth as she started to pull away again, he hid his grin as it popped out of his mouth and she glared at him.

"I'm serious Tom! Casting those spells is what led you further into the darkness. I could see it in your eyes. The man I loved fell to the wayside once you let the dark back in."

Sliding her legs down to the ground, she stood on her own but kept her arms around him and her body pressed tightly against him.

"I know you are not all light and sunshine like I am. I know you have a darker magical core and I accept that. But you have to have some moral lines to control it Tom or else you are just another tyrannical dark wizard that has to be taken down. I don't want to lose you to that again!"

Smoothing her hair from her face, he took in her pleading eyes and worried gesture as she nibbled her lower lip. Running his thumb across it and gently pulling it loose he met her eyes again and let her see his anger.

"He called you filthy and that disgusting word. He threatened you with torture, rape, and then death at the hands of himself and people like him. I do my best not to let that part of me out because I want to be better…for you. But that was not something I was going to let slide Hermione. I will never willingly sit back and let someone talk to you that way or threaten you like that and not break them. That is not in my nature and you have to accept that about me for this to work."

Her sigh ghosted across his lips as she leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes. Her entire body seemed to relax in his arms as she ran her hands through his hair.

"A part of me knows that and it scares me that I was only partially upset at you."

"What was the other part of you then?"

Brows still touching she opened her eyes to stare into his and nibbled her lips before licking them and giving him a devilish smile.

"I have never had anyone defend me that way. People have yelled and argued over the words I'm called and stood beside me. But no one has ever put someone to their knees like that for me and told them they were going to apologize the way you did. My automatic reaction came from years of being drilled to abhor dark magic. But my heart was not beating in fear. It was racing out of control in desire. I wanted nothing more than to throw myself into your arms and demand you take me with the same fierceness you protected me with."

His smirk was smothered by another bout of perplexity as he lifted his head to look down into her eyes.

"But your eyes were filled with fear. If you weren't afraid of me what were you afraid of?"

Her blush was a light stain along her cheeks as she kept her eyes on his so he could see the truth to her words.

"I was afraid of myself. We are taught that giving in to any feelings like that lead to the dark side of our world. I was afraid of myself in that moment because I never thought I would want to reward someone for such blatant 'bad' behavior but in that moment I wanted to worship you."

Her words only caused his hesitation for a moment before he lifted her bodily back into his arms with a groan of surrender and lost himself in the hot tangle of tongues and scrap of teeth on lips as her moans filled his head and his mouth. Moving until he had her pressed against a tree, Tom ground his body against hers and though the friction felt wonderful he knew the construct was not strong enough to be able to fully enjoy her here.

Growling in suppressed need Tom slowly pulled away and set her on her feet. His panting breaths caused his chest to rise and fall rapidly with hers, brushing her hardened peaks against him. Keeping her caged in on both sides with his arms he continued to kiss and peck and nip at her mouth until he had his desire reigned in enough to speak.

"I want you so fucking much I can barely think around this need. We have to find a way to be together without all the damn interruptions!"

Her giggle made his chest feel lighter and as he met her eyes the mischief in them caused a grin to escape along his lips.

"I promise I will spend the rest of summer researching it for us. I am not allowed to go back home after the attack. I have a meeting with my parents and Dumbledore later today to get them set up in a safe house and out of the line of fire. Professor Snape thinks that now that the Dark Lord has found my home, he will be able to return. I have to make sure there is no leverage for him to use to make me give myself up."

His grin slid away as the worry and anger at not being able to protect her fully crashed inside him in a ball fury for his impotence. Pulling her to him and holding her close he closed his eyes and just let her warmth seep into his body.

"The young Mr. Malfoy left me a note. I put it in the journal. Read it so you know the deal he offered and please tell him I accept said offer and will wait patiently from now on for you two to make arrangements. As much as I don't want to let you go, you have things to do today and now so do I. Will I see you tonight?"

Looking up at him with her head on his shoulder she gave him a soft smile.

"If I can get away, I will give you a magical call. Though it would have been wrong…you know earlier…I would have said yes Tom. I'm already yours and I would have let you have me if Malfoy hadn't interrupted. But now that my head is clear, I admit I would rather it be you and I…not you in Draco's body and I. So give me time to research and maybe look on your end too. Some books have been removed since your time so maybe you will find the right spell or ritual. I will be yours even if the only way to do so is to borrow someone else's body for a time."

His kiss felt like it scorched his soul so he could only imagine what it felt like to her. Letting her go one last time felt like ripping a piece of his soul from his body and he pulled his shields up just enough to cover the pain.

"See you soon dove. Be safe and on your guard around that arsehole. If I come back to find you injured because of him…I make no promises to contain my darker urges."

She nodded at him and stepped away until their linked hands finally had to let go.

"Same goes for you. Behave and try not to kill or maim anyone when you go back. I will see you as soon as I am able. I love you Tom."

"And I you my Hermione."

Both vanished from the journal world, neither noticing the dark presence that watched from behind one of the trees with anger and disgust.

* * *

Hermione came awake to arguing and loud voices. Wincing at the volume and wondering why she always seemed to be surrounded in loud, obnoxious people she allowed herself a moment to get her bearing before facing whatever firing squad was in her space now.

"I don't care whose fault it was or was not Snape! I just want to know how to get my best friend out of that damn journal and back into her body with us! She has been laying there like the dead for hours!"

Well it seemed Harry had made it to Hogwarts. She wondered who had informed him of her residence here this time.

"Yeah and keep that slimy ferret away from her you greasy git! He can say he has switched sides all he wants! He is a lying, evil bloody prat and we will not stand by and let him hurt Mione!"

Oh great…and Ron! Merlin she loved her friends but they could be really pigheaded at times. She had already explained enough to them that they knew she had allies that were masquerading as followers of He-Who-Must-Get-A-Nose-Job and yet here they were, hounding her fellow spies in this game and not using their heads. She could feel a headache starting to build behind her eyes.

"Harry my boy you are not making this any easier. I have told you that I trust Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy completely. Do you not trust my word anymore?"

Before he had a chance to blow the cover on that particular topic, Hermione groaned and sat up in her bed, glaring at all of them for the noise.

"A wizard's word is only as trustworthy as the wizard himself. After some of the newest revelations Headmaster…you should really be less surprised that the sheep are not following so blindly anymore. If you all would be so kind as to excuse us, I need to speak to these two alone."

Glancing at Draco she gave him a nod and a smile which he returned before he followed Severus out of the hospital wing. Dumbledore's frown only caused her to roll her eyes and frown back at him. His eyes looked from Harry to Ron who only had eyes for Hermione, the worry flashing for a moment before being hidden behind his own occlumency shields. With a mumbled _very well_ he left as well.

Casting the strongest silencing spell she could think of Hermione braced herself as she was bombarded on both sides by her boys and hugged to within an inch of her life. Ron's yelp as he snatched his hand back caused her to laugh as she lifted the journal from her bed and set it on the night stand.

"Sorry about that. After everything that happened he is in a particularly foul mood. I think at this point he would attack everyone no matter the provocation. How did you two get here?"

Ron shrugged as Harry gave her a sheepish grin.

"I'm not sure I want to tell you."

At her glare he threw his hands in the air in surrender.

"Okay…Okay Godric! We received an owl stating you were attacked and injured and had been taken to Hogwarts for safe keeping. We snuck out of the burrow and used our brooms to get far enough away and then the twins apparated us here and went back home."

Her mouth had to be hanging to the floor as she stared at them.

"Let me get this straight Harry Potter. You received an unknown owl from an unknown person telling you what happened to me and you just up and left to come here without letting anyone else know where you were going but the Weasley twins?"

His nod was hesitant and with good reason as he was suddenly being pelted over and over again with her hospital pillow. Ron's _Oi_ was the only indication he was receiving the same treatment and he rolled off the bed and across the floor to escape her wrath.

"We were worried about you Hermione. We are allowed to check on you if you are hurt!"

"Yes but you didn't know if I was truly hurt. You just went half-cocked like you always do! What if it had been a trap and the moment you left the burrow wards the death eaters had been there? You could have gotten yourself, Ron, or the twins killed for a letter you had no verification was real! UGH!"

Looking sheepish again and running a hand into his messy hair only made Hermione want to pull it out.

"You're right Mione. We didn't think beyond you being hurt and we should have. Next time we will verify all the facts that we can before we impulsively fly to your obviously un-needed rescue."

The boyish grin Ron gave her melted her anger away and with a sigh of resignation she leaned her head against his chest and huffed.

"I'll hold you to that Ronald."

The chuckle was contagious and in the next moment she was wrapped up in her boys arms once more and laughing along with them. After that the reunion turned to her explanation of what happened. She told them all about Draco, the compulsion, No-Nose showing up, the torture, and the last few days of drama. She even finally admitted that Tom had found a way through to their time line and what he did to Lucius Malfoy.

"Serves him right the blighter! I would have done the same thing if I was more inclined towards the darker arts. And if Riddle is as possessive of you as you say then it would be like threatening him. We all know how he feels about anyone thinking they are stronger or more powerful than he is."

A bit of pastry crumb flew from his mouth as Ron talked and Hermione couldn't help but grimace at his lack of manners after all this time. Merlin he needed a second mother just to follow him around and knock a little propriety and proper etiquette into him. But she loved him anyway.

It only took a few hours for Molly to come rushing into the wing steaming and ranting like a mad hatter about the lack of brains the boys had. Hermione had known this was coming and so had gone easy on them herself. Now all she could do was sit back and hide the grin behind her hand as they both bowed their heads in shame and took their brow beating. With a quick kiss to her head and a promise to return the next day, Molly was dragging both boys out of the room and towards the Headmaster's office to floo home with nary a single complaint.

Once out of ear shot, Hermione lost her hold on her amusement and laughed until tears fell down her face. Draco walked in as she was trying to get control again and could only laugh with her at the scene he had caught on his way here.

"That Molly Weasley is one scary witch. Remind me never to get on her bad side ever again. Even I didn't rate a glare or a look while she was going."

That only caused her to laugh harder and with her head resting on his shoulder Hermione allowed the day to catch up with her and the laughing turned to tears at the earlier confrontation. Draco assured her all would be fine and held her close until the stress was gone and she had fallen into another round of sleep. Madam Pomfrey had said she would need a lot of sleep as her nerves healed from the curse so he made sure she was comfortable in her bed before picking up the journal and a quill and seeing just how much influence he now had thanks to Tom's little ritual.


	19. Chapter 19-Betrayed

**Hello my Secret-icitists! **

**I know I did not post at the end of last week. Then Monday was a holiday...rude of me really. I was working on other coming stories that I am trying to make sure I have written completely before I start to post them. As you all know I have a list going...most requests from Moon or another reader/coven member to write along with my own ideas. When I get in the mood, I write a little on whatever one comes to mind. **

**I apologize now to my readers as the next few chapters are going to be dark and filled with things that may cause triggers. We are dealing with Voldemort, Death Eaters, and dark magic people so use your imagination and if you think it will be a possible trigger...do not read the next chapter at all. This one only eludes to what is coming.**

**I will say nothing more as I feel too much warning just hands you what is going to happen and that annoys me. **

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Draco sat laughing with Hermione out by the Black Lake a week later. No matter how hard he tried or how cute his pouts were, she would not tell him how to contact Riddle through the journal so his writings had ended up read by the witch instead of the wizard. She had thanked him for caring enough to willingly let Tom use his body to talk to her in person and she had blushed as she stammered through trying to let him down easy only to have him smile and wave it all off as no big deal.

Hermione still had reserves about it all but was too happy to have more help that she could fully talk to that she didn't let herself look to closely at any of it. Professor Snape, or Uncle Sev as Draco liked to call him, had stayed as close to them as he could when he wasn't being pulled away by an increasingly irate Dark Lord or demanding Dumbledore. Hermione had started to worry that he would come back very injured or not at all since he was unable to 'get his hands on the girl' as Lord Forked Tongue wanted.

Grinning at Draco as he stood and reached down to help her up, she frowned as she saw his entire face drop into his Slytherin mask and he pulled her up and a little behind him before she could really figure out why. Coming towards them was not only his father but the Headmaster and Hermione knew anything that involved those two could not possibly be good for her or for Draco. Keeping the journal safely tucked in her robes pocket she rubbed the alert bracelet that the Professor had given her if she felt unsafe.

She wasn't sure exactly when or why but she had started to feel less safe around Dumbledore as time passed. She had this odd feeling he was watching her when she didn't know it and that he had malice intent towards her too. Since she couldn't prove a thing and even felt she might be being paranoid, she had gone to Professor Snape to talk to him. In the end he had been the one to decide it was better to be safe and have a way to non verbally call him for help than to dismiss it and have something go terribly wrong.

As the two wizards arrived a few feet away from them they stopped, Lucius sneering at them both while Dumbledore continued to give his twinkling eyed smile. Hermione was not fooled for a second. That old batty wizard had learned how to make his occlumency look like kindness instead of blankness and she knew it. She thought in the end it was so much creepier than the blank face Professor Snape normally walked around with.

"Afternoon children. It is lovely day to be out and about isn't it? I hate to interrupt but I need a moment with our dear Miss Granger if you please Mr. Malfoy and I believe your father needs to speak with you."

Tensing in front of her, Draco stepped another few inches so his body was almost completely blocking her and shook his head no.

"I will have to decline your request Headmaster. I have no need or desire to talk to my father in private in any capacity…nor will I leave Hermione alone with anyone anymore after what happened. I have been charged with her safety when Potter or Uncle Severus is not here and I take that task very seriously. I already know everything there is to know about her mission so whatever you need to say can be said with me here."

The twinkle seemed to fade a little as Dumbledore frowned at Draco before righting his expression and glancing to the side at Lord Malfoy. Clearing his throat he shifted on his feet a little before folding his hands in front of his body.

"Draco…you and I need to have a long conversation and Dumbledore needs to discuss private matters with one of his pawns. Stop being obstinate just to be obstinate and come along!"

Rolling her eyes at his pompous attitude, Hermione shook her head as Draco stiffened further before placing her hand gently on his arm.

"Calling me a pawn is not going to win you any favors or get you what you want. You really need to find your inner Slytherin Lord Malfoy before your new Gryffindor mouth gets you killed. He may be an evil overlord but he is still connected to the Tom I speak with and if he gets wind of your disrespect he will see it as an affront to him as well and you will find yourself under the Dark Lord's current wand instead of your possessed son's. And Draco is now one of my guards as my handler seems to think I need to be protected at all times. So you will have to speak to me with him here Headmaster."

His sigh was one of such grievance you would have thought they had told him his pet had died but he adjusted his half-moon glasses and moved forward.

"Very well Miss Granger. I feel your mission is failing at the present time and we have decided to move forward with the second option of the plan. Now we will need…"

Not caring what he was about to say, Hermione interrupted him with a very solid and firm _No_ which had him stuttering to a stop before frowning at her.

"Miss Granger, the Order has decided that you have become to personally attached to the target and must be removed from the situation and we must move in a different direction."

"The Order has no fucking clue about my mission besides a select few because you are an information hog and refuse to tell them even small details that could help us win or keep them alive. I do not work for the Order or for you any longer and I will decide when or if my mission failed."

The grandfatherly facade faded as Dumbledore glared at her. She had no idea what he would do but it seemed his change worried Draco as he slid his arm back and around her to hold her hip right over the journal and his wand appeared in his other hand.

"How dare you speak to me in such a way! I am the leader of the resistance against Tom Riddle."

Interrupting him again with a scoff, Hermione crossed her arms and glared right back.

"You may be their leader…you are not mine. You lost that position when you lied to me about the ritual and bound me to the current psychopath you want to end in marriage. You do not and have never had anyone else's interests in mind expect your own and I will not stand by and be used as a pawn to go and die in your bullshit excuse of a war. Me and mine…we will win our way because we know all, we share all, and we trust each other completely…something you no longer have with any of us old man."

His grin when it came was full of malice.

"I think it may be time for you to go and stay with your husband then Madam Riddle. It seems as if you will be of no further use to me or the Order."

Her eyes widened before she laughed at him.

"You can't just send me off to the other side Albus. You would lose your precious weapon. Harry would never let me go and he would turn on you faster than I did."

"I think you over estimate your importance to Harry."

"And I know you underestimate it Dumbles. Everything you say is being recorded magically back to a journal Harry has so he knows all. At the moments he is probably already frantic and on his way here to save me from you. Professor Snape is already close by I am sure as I called him the moment I saw you coming with Lord Malfoy at your side. I don't know when you lost sight of the side of good in your quest to destroy what you see as evil but you will not drag the rest of us down with you. I won't allow it."

"Lord Malfoy I believe it would be prudent to enact our plan now and get this over with."

As Lucius raised his wand in their direction the cold words that hissed from his son's mouth made his already pale face grow paler and his hand shake.

"If you wish to be born you will lower your wand Malfoy. I may have a like for your son now but I will not hesitate to kill your father to ensure this moment never happens. I would prefer not to end the Malfoy line as I have become quite close to Abraxas but if you continue to threaten my wife…all bets as they say are off."

Looking down she realized Draco's hand was not touching the outside of her robes over the journal but had been slid into the pocket and he had been touching the journal. She had no idea how he had called to Tom and she would find out later when they were not in such a dangerous position.

"Tom…how nice of you to join us…though it will not stop this from happening. Lord Malfoy if you please."

For a moment it looked like Lucius was going to follow the order before he closed his eyes, lowered his wand, and dropped to a knee in front of Draco and Hermione.

"My apologies my Lord. It seems I have once again overestimated the old man and underestimated my son, you, and your wife."

The last word was said on a sneer he attempted to contain and Hermione couldn't help be snort in amusement.

"Merlin even when faced with death it kills you to try to be nice to me or about me doesn't it. Your father must have been a real piece of work to have engrained that belief so deep you can't contain it even to save your own skin."

Dumbledore's face turned a slight shade of red in his anger and he flicked his wand in their direction. The sparks that hit Tom's shield had Malfoy ducking out of the way and coming to his feet to point his own wand at the Headmaster. Before he could cast another spell his wand sailed out of his hand and into the hands of his potions teacher as he appeared from under his disillusionment charm. The sneer on his face was terrifying to behold and she was glad it was not pointed in her direction.

"Welcome to the party Master Snape. Glad to know the monitoring spells worked correctly after all. I will make sure you get that apprenticeship you want when you graduate no matter if you are one of my knights or not for this."

The laugh that sounded from Dumbledore startled her and she jumped slightly as she snapped her head back in his direction.

"You always did celebrate too early Tom. Always so sure you had won the battle. Your pride and arrogance was your biggest flaw and the easiest way to your downfall. I am glad to see that is still true. Severus the apparition wards have been lifted for you…take them both to your other master if you please…that is an order."

The grimace that passed over her beloved Professor's face caused Hermione to wince as she resigned herself to her death by the end of the day. She knew of the unbreakable vow and knew if he fought it he would die. Not wanting him to die she did the only thing she could think of to ensure his survival. Sliding her hand in her robes to place over Tom's she wordlessly cast a sleeping spell on him and as he started to fall she caught his body and laid him gently to the ground.

Flicking her wand to the side she silenced Lord Malfoy's protests for his son with a stunner and rolled her eyes as he dropped to the ground as well. Glaring up at Dumbledore as she levitated the youngest Malfoy, she walked to Snape and slid her arm in his.

"You will die for this Albus Dumbledore…I give you my word as a witch."

The burst of power that rushed through the space between them had the Headmaster's eyes shooting open wide in surprise just before Severus placed his hand on Draco and twisted to the side with both of them in tow. As they landed outside of Malfoy Manor, Hermione stumbled away and lost what little lunch she had eaten in the perfectly manicured bushes along the path they were standing on.

"I would have disobeyed him Miss Granger. You and Tom could have fought your way off the grounds and apparated. Why risk your life this way?"

Cleaning her mouth with her wand, she stood up again and looked into the very open and very confused eyes of her mentor and handler.

"Someone has to give enough of a fuck about you to protect you Professor. I just happen to be that someone and I am not willing to see you die for me. If push comes to shove, you may end up having to do that for Harry and if I fail in my mission, I want to know he still has you to see him through…even if I have to die to make sure that happens."

Shaking his head as a lone tear falls he pulls her in to his arms and just holds her close for several minutes before pulling his shields up and his mask back over his face and stepping back.

"Is there any way to not take Draco with us? Can you take him to a safe house Headmaster Turncoat and Lord Forked Tongue do not know about?"

"I could but that will leave all of his focus on you. He will not be kind like your Tom Hermione. This could very well get messy and ugly before we find a way to get you out…if we can."

"I don't care. Draco did nothing but save me and then defend me. I want him safe and away from this place. I will stay right here. Take him and come back."

Taking her wand from her reluctantly, he levitates Draco and apparates with him again. Within moments he is back and they head for the front door and what she is sure to be her upcoming torture and death. Swallowing her fear down she can only hope Harry was smart enough not to confront Dumbledore and to go into hiding instead.

* * *

Hidden deep in the subways of the London underground, Harry and Ron hug their legs tight as they wait in the dark for word from the only Professor they now know they can trust. How had it come to such a confusing turn of events they had no idea but they realized Hermione had been right all along. It didn't matter outward appearances or what people told you to be true. There were two sides to every coin and every person and they had both just gotten the shock of their young life as they read the words form on the page condemning their leader to the dark side of this war as well.

Knowing he couldn't go running to save her without getting himself obliviated or killed, Harry lay his head on his arms and let the tears of betrayal and pain fall. First his parents were betrayed for this war and now the girl he considered his sister. No one was truly protected and no one truly had their backs except each other. Knowing which safe house Severus would be taking Malfoy to, Harry and Ron waited a few more hours before going further into the tunnels and apparating multiple times before landing inside the wards.

Sitting on the porch, wandless, his eyes red and puffy from obvious tears, Draco jumped to his feet at the crack and then fell apart right in front of their eyes. Harry was the first to move and before he could comprehend this turn of events he had Draco in his arms pleading for forgiveness and swearing he tried to protect her but had not known Severus was bound to obey Dumbledore.

It looked like even Hermione had forgotten to everything to Draco in the amount of time they had together. Snape's secret was probably the only one she would have willingly held back for his own safety. Harry couldn't even fault her as she had his life as well as her own in the palm of her hand. And unlike the bastard traitor…Hermione was not one to sacrifice a pawn just to win a game…it's why she was pants at Wizarding Chess.

Taking Malfoy into the cottage, the boys set up for a long night of waiting and worrying. Ron put together some sandwiches and chips and they all sat on the floor with the journal open as the scene played out in words along the pages. It seemed in her fear and worry, Hermione had forgotten to deactivate the quick quills charm she had placed on her bracelet. They were about to get a front row seat to her torture…only in written form.


	20. Chapter 20-Consequences

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I was going to hold this hostage till next week but then I realized I just can't do it. So here it is and I am already almost done with the next one as well. I will be holding that one until at least Friday...maybe...UGH!**

**I won't even say to much cause onward and all. I did want to thank _Stephanie MRV_ for the little one liner I just had to use cause it was hilarious. It has to do with Dumbles and lemon drops. You slayed me woman!**

**Warnings: She is with Voldie so you can imagine it is going to get dark and ugly at some point. You were warned!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom's eyes flew open and with a scream of pure rage his magic exploded out from his core and turned the bed posts and curtains to ashes. His night stand and trunk flew in different directions, crashing into the wall and one of the other beds as his dorm mates all cried out in fear and rolled out of their beds to hide low to the ground. The only one crazy enough to approach him was Avery and as he got within touching distance he dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

"My Lord what can we do? Who has upset you so? Please tell us and we will find a way to right this wrong."

His submission and surrender under Tom's power pulled him back from the edge and looking down at his Knight, Tom realized he was causing small cuts to appear all along Avery's skin as he knelt within his maelstrom of rage and pain. Slamming his shields into place over his mind and his magic he watched as the boy sagged in obvious relief and pain as the cutting wind abruptly cut off.

"Things begin to change today my friends. I…apologize for the outburst. My future wife is in imminent danger and I am unable to get to her to help her. Gather the Knights and ready yourselves. Today will be a long day of revitalization planning for the wizarding world. And call Abraxas to us. I need to speak with him as well."

At his commands, his Knights all rose to their feet, bowed their heads and rushed off to get ready for the day and for whatever new plans their Lord had decided needed to be made.

Tom watched them all with a disconcerting lack of care. He could feel the volcano of helpless fury bubbling and twisting in his chest and gut and knew there was only one way to save his little muggleborn wife now…to change who he was and who his followers were going to be. By the time he was done there was no way that the Malfoy family or any other would ever harm another magical being born for this world…his world…

* * *

The opulence of Malfoy Manor was lost on Hermione as she kept her eyes straight forward and concentrated on keeping her shields in place and her nerves flooded with steel. She may end up on her knees, screaming in pain today but she would not start there or with fear in her eyes. She had seen enough movies and read enough novels to know that even though the torture may force you to break, your heart is what has to stay strong and she was one of those people who would rather die on her feet then submit on her knees.

As she rounded a corner one step behind Professor Snape, her heart skipped a beat as the most well-known muggleborn hating witch came into view. Bellatrix LeStrange's face lit up as she saw her and it made Hermione's skin crawl with the malice intent that flashed in her eyes. Continuing to follow the Professor and not meeting the witch's eyes she was not surprised when she had to come to an abrupt stop to not bump into her mentor.

"What do we have here Sevy? Did you bring us a toy to play with finally?"

Slapping her hand away as she reached for Hermione, he sneered at her with an obvious look of hate and disgust.

"Keep your hands off of her Bellatrix. She is for the Dark Lord!"

The growl of annoyance and show of teeth would have scared Hermione a year ago but after having met Tom and then Voldemort in person…Bellatrix really was not all that scary anymore.

"She was to be brought to him. He never said we couldn't play with her a little in the process. Plus how would he know…is she going to tell on us?"

The cackling laugh caused Hermione to involuntarily roll her eyes and the witch hissed at her as she moved faster than expected and yanked her by her hair so they were nose to nose.

"You dare roll your eyes at me you insolent filthy little bitch!"

Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Hermione used just enough magic to zap the crazy witch's hand and as she jerked away, Hermione stood back up straight and glared at her.

"If rolling my eyes at that ridiculous evil cackle you use as a laugh is rolling my eyes at you…then yes I was being such a bad, bad little mudblood. And word of advice you crazy bitch…learn to use a teeth cleansing spell…your breath smells like rotten corpses."

Her wand was out and the beginning of the Crucio spell was leaving her lips before a loud, anger filled hiss filled the hallway. The flush of fury drained from Bellatrix' face as she snapped her mouth shut and she and Severus both dropped to their knees in subjugation. Hermione looked between the two on their knees before firming her resolve and letting her eyes trail up until they met the flaring red of his high Lord No-Nose.

They both stared at each other for a long moment before he raised his wand towards the other two and Hermione moved without thinking, putting her body between Professor Snape and his master.

"You dare to protect him from me!"

Clenching her fists to keep her temper in check, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them to look at him without the hate or disgust she felt inside.

"I dare to protect a teacher that I admire even if he is one of your minions. I may not know everything about him but I understand very easily how he could have fallen into your grasp and I do not wish to see him injured when he brought me to you as you requested and made sure I arrived here without harm…also as you requested if I understand correctly."

His look turned contemplative…she thought…and after a few moments he lowered his wand and slashed his hand through the air as he spoke.

"Leave us…both of you! Severus…you and I will speak later about your reward for bringing her to me."

With a low and respectful _yes, my Lord _Severus was up and moving away before she had time to process he was leaving her alone. Bellatrix on the other hand stood and if looks could kill Hermione knew she would have dropped dead on the spot.

"My love…she is unworthy of being in your presence. Let us take care of her for you so that you do not have to sully your magic on her."

The simpering tone did not match the manic glee in her eyes and for some reason her words seemed to spark annoyance inside Hermione. Not knowing why, her mouth moved before her brain had time to process her words and the Gryffindor inside her roared to life once more.

"Are you always this pathetic or am I just the lucky one to have to watch it?"

Without any real thought, Hermione stepped into Bellatrix' space and shoved her back into the wall as her magic sparked along the ends of her hair.

"And he isn't you love!"

Before anything else could happen, the Dark Lord rumbled _Bella_ in such a low menacing voice that the witch in question stumbled away from Hermione, curtsied very quickly and left with a swish of her dress and a scowl on her face. Watching her until she was safely out of sight, Hermione dropped her head and took a few calming breaths before gathering her self-control back together.

"You are either very brave or very stupid dove. Could be a little of both I imagine. You are wandless and powerless and you decided to stand against a very powerful and armed witch. Are you courting death then?"

His hissing voice sent shivers along her spine but Hermione raised her head and looked his direction as he spoke.

"If you wish to speak to me then I will talk but please stop calling me that!"

"Why…it is my nickname for you is it not?"

"No…it is not! It is Tom's nickname for me and you are no longer Tom Riddle. You made sure of that before you ever left school. You may be getting bits of his memory but you are not him."

His eyes flashed a brighter ruby which she guessed was his temper flaring before settling back to a duller red. Walking towards her, he raised his hand to cup her cheek in his cold palm and Hermione had to bite her tongue to make herself stand still and not move back or flinch.

"You have decided to do your best not to show your fear of me this time. I am not sure if I am impressed and pleased with that or if I want to force the fear back into those beautiful honeyed eyes of yours. Come!"

Turning with a billow of robes not too far off from how Professor Snape walked, Voldemort headed down the hallway without a backwards glance. She knew if she did not follow she was not only risking running into any number of his Death Eaters without him or Professor Snape there to protect her but she was also putting the Professor in danger. Knowing at this point she had no other option, Hermione followed at a slightly more sedate pace.

Opening a door that was located several twists and turns and hallways later, he gestured for her to step inside and as she did she couldn't help the gasp that left her lips. The room was circular and each wall was covered floor to ceiling with book shelves filled to the brim. Two large floor to ceiling windows were situated perfectly spaced apart from each other and the door to give the room a very symmetrical look and plenty of natural light.

There were two chairs in the center of the room with a table on the outside of both and a fireplace built to stand alone very nearby. Two glasses and a bottle of fae wine sat on the table on the right and as he closed the door behind them he walked over to sit in that chair.

"I was told that you enjoy books and reading and that you are a very swotty little thing. I thought this would be a good room for us to talk in. I was hoping it would give you a sense of peace…or at least as close to a sense of peace as you can have in my presence."

Her confusion must have shown on her face for he gestured gently to the chair next to his and turned to pour wine into both glasses. Not willing to push his buttons just yet, Hermione walked over and took a seat, realizing the chairs were canted just so to be facing one another. Handing her one of the glasses he caressed the back of her hand with his finger as she took it and she had to grip the stem to not drop the glass in her haste to pull away.

"If you will allow it, I can help you see me as you normally do so that my appearance does not scare you so."

Taking a deep pull from the glass, Hermione set it down on her own side table before shaking her head in the negative.

"I am not trying to piss you off at the moment but I would rather you look as you do so I don't forget who I am talking to."

The silence that followed was so weighted with tension that Hermione was unable to hold his eyes and looked away to stare into the fireplace instead.

"You said you would talk if I stopped calling you dove. I will concede to that request today only. After we shall see but you will answer my questions honestly!"

The force of his request seemed almost violent and she turned her head to look at him again. His posture may have appeared relaxed but she saw the same signs that he displayed as a boy and knew he was tense and still angry. Of course, she suspected he was angry most of the time.

"I will not answer any questions about the Order, Harry, or anything about this war. Not that I have a lot of answers I could give you at this point anyway. I reserve the right to abstain on questions if they are too personal or if I do not think I can be honest when I answer. I am a Gryffindor so my sense of fair play is very high. I will not abuse these stipulations but I will need agreement on them."

Another long silence passed before he crossed his arms and nodded. His position was almost petulant and reminded her of 11 year old Tom so much that her grin escaped before she could contain it. She watched his entire body tense and her eyes slowly traveled from his crossed arms back to his snake-like face.

"What made you smile like that at me?"

Sighing and slouching back into the chair, Hermione kicked off her trainers and pulled her feet into the chair. Wrapping her arms around her knees she got comfortable as it seemed she was going to be here awhile.

"You reminded me of Tom at 11 years old. He used to get that same stance when he was unhappy with my requests but resigned himself to giving in."

"You truly are…his friend aren't you?"

Hermione tilted her head to the side as her brows furrowed in confusion. Realizing what he was asking she bite her lip in indecision. His hand gently touching her face as he pulled her lips from between her teeth pulled her back from her debate as she stared at him in shock.

"Fuck…okay…next rule…no more touching me! It is seriously creeping me out. You have been the boogie man my entire magical life and I get that this whole scenario has caused some oddness to start happening for you. I just can't…please…"

Losing her hold on her emotions, Hermione could feel her body shaking in fear and confusion as he sat back again and regarded her with slowly fading red eyes.

"Answer the question Miss Granger."

"Yes…yes I am truly his friend."

"And you enjoy his company…even with his temper and darker nature?"

Nodding she takes a few deeps breaths to compose herself before speaking again.

"Yes I do."

"I want more than just yes or no answers if I am to stick to my rules. You have asked a lot of me in this exchange…the least you can do is elaborate and give me more of an answer so I don't have to pry it all out of you like a bad tooth."

He hissed his s sounds as his anger over took him again and Hermione gripped her legs tightly and waited for him to regain control before she spoke.

"I enjoy his company, regardless of his darker nature, and sometimes because of his temper…immensely. I lose myself completely in him when we are together and I miss him terribly when we aren't. Better?"

Nodding his head, she watched him sit back again and his body truly relaxed this time.

"How did you come to be the one who was sent to infiltrate my younger self and try to turn me…good?"

Her snort of amusement seemed to confuse him but she answered before he could ask another question.

"I am not trying to turn you good. I am trying to make sure you just don't go as dark. I would never expect TMRJ to be of the light and good. He has too much anger and darkness inside of him to be like that. A nice, slightly darker shade of grey though…that could work. And I volunteered in the end when no one else fit the criteria or would agree to do it. I have seen your NEWT scores…any average witch would not have been enough to get your attention. Dumbledore approved it as he said no one would do besides me anyway…may he choked and die on his fucking lemon drops!"

His face did not registered any emotion but she could swear she saw and felt not only a moment of shock but amusement run through his eyes and inside her body.

"And you see yourself as above average?"

Her glare was only half serious as she sneered at him the way Tom had taught her to do.

"I refuse to answer that question and not even on any of the grounds I set. It's just a ludicrous question that I expect one of the idiot pureblood fanatics to have asked…not their brilliant overlord. You know damn well I am way above average when it comes to my mind and if you…he… only wanted a pretty face to look at then Tom would have stopped answering my journal entries or summons to see him."

His laugh rang out in the room and she closed her eyes for a moment as she could hear her Tom in that shocked sound. She knew getting him to laugh like that was a feat in and of itself and took the moment to enjoy that she had managed it even with him in his overlord form.

"How did you manage to get him to accept you so deeply?"

"I thought you were getting the memories…don't you know all that?"

He shook his head as he picked up his own glass and took a sip of his wine.

"I seem to only get the ones that made a huge or deep impact. I remember being pissed off about the wound you received from one of my followers when I was around eleven I think. I also woke and recalled who it was and how it happened and I assure you he suffered for that mark."

Dropping her legs and sitting on the edge of the chair she glared at him.

"I told you not to hurt him as he was only doing your damn bidding! Did you also suffer for that mark then because you ordered it!"

She was on her feet with his hand wrapped in her hair and yanking her head back before she could jerk away and the hissed words caused her to freeze in her struggling.

"You will not speak to me in that tone! Do you understand?"

Glaring at him in defiance and refusing to answer she waited for the punishment she knew would come.

"Answer me!"

His shout hurt her ears and she could not help the small wince of pain.

"You are not my Lord and I am not one of your pathetic, subservient minions Voldemort. I may not want to die or be tortured but I am also not going to cower and bow to you like some sycophant! If that is what you are looking for with me…kill me now and be done with it."

She felt the push of his mind against hers the second it happened and with a cry of pain she strengthened her focus to keep him out. Time passed agonizingly slowly as the pain grew until she felt a weak point in her armor start to crack. With that crack the pain lessened as the monster before her changed to look like the young man she was in love with. As soon as her eyes widened in fear and longing his lips were on hers and his tongue pushed past on her gasp to battle with hers.

She fought him at first…she was sure she did…but it didn't take long for the smell of his shampoo and cologne over took her senses and she forgot everything else but being in the arms of the man she had fallen head over heels for. For a moment it didn't matter that he was an evil, immoral killer or that he was missing pieces of his humanity and his soul. He was her Tom and she was helpless to resist his pull.

As his hands moved to slide under her shirt her logic returned and with a cry of despair she pulled away from him so hard she stumbled into the arm of her chair, tripped over her own feet and tipped to the side. Catching her weight as her hands slammed into the ground she sat there on the floor with tears streaming down her face as she tried to repair the crack he made in order to make her see what he wanted.

"That…that is why you are not my Tom! He promised never to hurt me or put his hands on me in anger…something you have never been able to stop yourself from doing. I am done answering your questions!"

The slamming of the door was the only indication that he had left. Curling into herself, Hermione let her tears fall and her sobs echo into the room as she mourned the boy she was never going to be able to have and came to terms with the fact that she was going to have to kill him in order to win this war and save her friends.


	21. Chapter 21-Let Me Go

**Greetings my Secret readers!**

**I know you are freaking out right now cause this is post number three of the week. This story has been rattling around and I had to get as much out as possible today. I was going to hold this one hostage too but again I just can't do it to you guys. I swear I didn't mean to end it on another OMG WTF Dash moment but its how it wrote. I will be writing more tomorrow I'm sure!**

**Warning: Torture, language, tears, and death are imminent. You were warned!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione woke slowly, groaning at the aches in her body from sleeping on the hard floor. The fire had died down sometime during her emotional induced nap and with a flick of her hand she sent several new logs into the grate and had them blazing. Picking herself up from the ground she pulled the table in front of her chair. Carefully extracting the journal from her pocket she enlarged it using the rune she had placed on the cover and opened it to the current page. Smiling at seeing her muggle pen stuck between the pages she was glad she had the foresight to add that to the journal. You never could seem to find a good quill and ink pot when you really needed one.

_My beloved Tom,_

_Please forgive me. I know how angry you must be at the moment with me forcing you out and back to your own time. I was afraid if we fought that Dumbledore would kill Draco in order to get your out of the way and I didn't want to risk him or you._

_I am alive and at the moment I am okay. I have not been harmed so far and other than an odd conversation that turned almost violent with your older and deadlier self, nothing has happened. Though…I may have pissed off the wrong witch when I got here. I am going to have to watch out for her until I can find a means of escape._

_I don't know how long I have alone or how long I have period so I wanted to make sure to get this to you. I thought and cried and thought some more and I came to a conclusion last night before I fell into a fitful sleep. Against my better judgement and my own will power…I have fallen too far in love with you to win this war now._

_I know you…you are asking me what the hell that is supposed to mean with your arms crossed and your face filled with anger. It means my love that even though I could easily cast an Avada at Voldemort…I could never hurt you. You are the very beat of my heart now and too try to sit here and say I have no choice and I have to kill you to save us all…it's just a hollow lie. _

_I want so much for you to find a different path…to become a better wizard. I never expected you to be pure and good but as I told your evil persona last night…I wanted to help you find a slightly darker grey to reside in. I had hoped through caring for you, talking to you, and ultimately loving you that you would find that path and be okay with it. I still have that hope and believe in you with everything that I am._

_I know I am not going to make it out of this house alive. Once his curiosity is satisfied, I will either be target practice for his anger or I will be gifted to his followers as a reward to do with as they please until I draw my last breath. In this scenario, I am supposed to go to plan B and kill you so that you never have a chance to become him…I cannot do it…I WILL NOT DO IT!_

_I want you to live baby boy! I want you to find a path that makes the world a better place just like you said…just make it better for everyone magical including stupid, empty headed muggleborns like me. I'm not telling or demanding it of you either. I am asking you. My Lord…guardian of my heart…love of my life and the husband I have but can't have…please save us all from what you are to become and give us a you that we can all happily follow and be proud to call our leader._

_I must go before I am discovered. I promise to do all I can to get out of here alive but if I do not…if I die…please find your way to me in a way I can be happy with. I will not risk contacting you again so this will be my last entry until I am either free or I meet my death._

_I love you Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr. with every breath I take until the end of all things. Take care of yourself and your knights and do watch over the Malfoy's…someone has to help them see they are all a bunch of pompous peacocks! _

_I was your secret to collect and now my love you have…_

_All I am is yours,_

_Hermione Jean Granger-Riddle_

Setting her pen back in the spine and closing the journal to signal to send her missive, Hermione made the journal small again and slipped it back into her pocket. Looking around the room she stood and walked to one book shelf, taking her time to browse the books found on the shelves of this beautiful library and wondering how she was going to get out of this maze of a manor and free without her wand.

* * *

Voldemort watched her as she came awake. Hidden as he was under several of his own created invisibility and silencing spells he knew she would have no idea she was being watched. He didn't understand this fascination with her and he didn't like what he couldn't explain or understand. He spent too many years in his youth terrified of the unknown and waiting on the other shoe to drop. He was not about to let this slip of a girl be his downfall.

Though the soft smile she had on her face at the moment as she opened what looked like his diary and began writing in it made him wonder if he even had a choice in the matter now without killing her. That smile alone made the anger that was always present under the surface calm and start to dissipate. He was unsettled to say the least and he didn't like the feeling.

As she wrote her thoughts began to float to him and he could hear the letter she was composing to his younger self. It was odd to see someone who cared for him without wanting anything in return. She didn't demand he stop being a dark wizard for her love or affection. She gave it and hoped it had a positive effect on him.

Having her admit she could easily throw an Avada at him made his temper spike slightly but the rest of her confession settled him like a calming draught. She was truly in love with him and for some reason she was willing to trust his younger self to do the right thing even if she couldn't be around to help him. She truly believed he was going to kill her and had accepted she would never get out of this house or be held by him again.

He had held her of course but he was not the one she wanted. He wasn't even sure why he wanted so badly to possess her but he did. He had never been moved to mercy from tears until last night. He had every intention of taking all of her once he had a taste of her lips. But her tear laced voice condemning him for his brutishness had stopped him in his tracks. He had been unable to look at her again…let along grab her or take her.

He was not sure what that old goat had done to them to cause him to be so torn about taking out what was obviously an enemy and a danger to his entire plan but looking at her now…he was not sure he could kill her. He needed answers and he needed them yesterday. He started to open his mouth to demand them when the sign off took his voice from him and his air stopped in his lungs. She had signed her name with his last name!

Moving to look at the journal before she closed it he was surprised to see it was not something she added in her head but had written it down as well. In the magical world you were only able to do that if it were legally true and binding. Girls could of course giggle and squeal and write Mrs. or Madam whoever all day long in fantasy and practice. But to sign any document, including letters to other magical folk, with a full name it had to be legally your name. It was a safety measure they had brought about many years ago to make sure no one could forge legal paperwork or trick someone in a letter.

For her to be able to sign her name that way meant she was married to them. He did not say any 'I do's' and certainly had not attended any ceremonies. Which meant his younger self had to have somehow managed to marry the girl? If that were true than by circumstance that made her…his wife. She would have been terrified if she had seen the smile that came over his face at that moment.

Watching her wander around the room he wished for a moment he could be one of the spines on a book. She caressed them with such tenderness and reverence that he wondered if 'Tom' received the same treatment when she touched him. He knew they had at least kissed and gotten pretty far together as he had a blurred memory of that moment. If was not as strong as others as it had been interrupted by Lucius Malfoy and his anger had taken over the memory and made the punishment a more vivid scene then the almost sex. But it was enough that it made him want her under him.

Before he had a chance to take a step towards her he was interrupted by the library door opening. Looking over he saw Severus quietly enter the room and shut the door, warding it from anyone else entering. Knowing everyone thought him away today, he waited to see what his loyal follower would do.

"Miss Granger…are you okay?"

Voldemort watched her face light up and she sprinted across the room and threw herself into his arms. The surge of jealous anger was almost enough to have them under his wand but he shoved it down so he could observe.

Her arms around his waist and his arms around her, he watched his usually blank faced stoic spy crumble as relief poured into his eyes and across the lines of his face. He watched as Severus pulled her face up and held it in his hands as he looked her over for signs of damage or fear and even gave her a very small smile when she acknowledged that she was alright.

"I am sorry Miss Granger…I cannot get you out of here. I…"

Her finger over his lips stopped his words and with a shake of her head she gestured to the door. His nod seemed to say he understood and after a moment Voldemort realized they were talking mind to mind as they locked eyes and neither moved out of the others arms. He knew that Severus had had to become close to the muggleborn recently on Dumbledore's orders but this kind of trust and closeness was not due to orders but was a true bond. What he wanted…no needed to know was how deeply this bond went between the two.

Maybe it was possible for her to lie about her feelings and trick his younger self. He had no idea what love was supposed to feel like so maybe she was able to make him think he was feeling it while she gave her true feelings and self to her teacher and mentor. The more he considered this, the more likely he found that to be and with his anger rising to deadly levels he lifted his wand as his invisibility dropped and hissed out a Crucio that started on Severus and jumped to the little traitorous mudblood.

Their screams and cries of pain echoed off the windows and soothed his burning need to end them both. Letting the first round stop so they could catch their breath he hit them with another and relished in the tears that fell from their eyes as they twitched and convulsed on the floor together. If they wanted to lie and lay together behind his back in pleasure then they could lay together in front of him in pain.

He lost track of how many times he recast the spell or for how long they had been under it. Once his anger subsided enough to gain control again, he let them both go and glided over to their prone forms. Severus was doing his very best to get up to his knees and bow but the little bitch was just lying there and panting in pain. Reaching down he pulled her up off the floor by her hair, ignoring her whimpers as he kicked Severus in the face so that he had to try to get back to his knees all over again.

"You think I wouldn't figure out that you were lying to me and to the younger version of me? Did you think I was gullible enough to fall for such obvious lies?"

His voice a mere hiss of rage, Voldemort yanked her so she was face to face with him and watched as her eyes opened to give him the fear he wanted. However, with the fear was also confusion and that only caused his anger to spark.

"Don't act like you don't know what I am talking about! How long have you been in love with him?"

Her confusion grew even as she cried out when his anger caused him to tighten his hold in her hair.

"I don't know what you are talking about!"

"My lord…please…"

Back handing Severus for even considering speaking to him without being allowed, he threw the girl by her hair away from them and stalked after her as she hit the ground and rolled.

"How long have you been in love with you dark and dangerous potions professor dove?"

Her sob of pain as he kicked her tore at something deep inside his chest but he ignored it as he rained blow after blow down on her in his fury at being deceived. Her sobs turned to yells and then pleading until he stopped to catch his breath.

"Please stop…I don't love him…"

Her voice cracked from her tears and the scratchiness of it from his curses, Voldemort let her words sink in and then pulled her up to her knees. Bending down to watch her eyes he waited on her to repeat herself.

"I don't know why you think that but I don't love Professor Snape. Please stop hurting us…I didn't lie to you."

"Prove it!"

Her body shaking and her face blotchy with tears she looked like a lost and broken child to him and for the first time in his long life…he felt…guilty. That pissed him off even more and yanking her to her feet he dragged her over until they were a few feet from Severus.

"If you don't love him and you didn't lie…Kill him!"

The horror on her face and the shock on Severus' face was almost enough to pull him back…until he remembered how she felt in his arms and how she had just been in another's arms!

"I can't."

Her whispered response sounded so frightened and broken that he looked away from his spy to take in her ashen face. Her eyes were filling with tears again and she was unconsciously shaking her head back and forth in a no gesture. He was pretty sure she was in complete shock now. Shoving his wand into her hand he pulled her in front of him so that his chest was to her back and held her hand up pointed at Severus' heart.

"You say you don't love him…then kill him and prove you love Tom!"

"Just because I don't love him doesn't mean I don't care about him. He is my teacher and has become a friend. I admire his intellect and his wit. I have even come to think his acidic comments and barbs are amusing. And I'm not a murderer Voldemort and this is murder!"

Wrapping his hand around hers tighter and touching his finger to the wand he leaned into her fully and whispered his next words into her ear.

"As you wish wife. Avada Kedavra."

His quiet words were filled with enough venom that he could have matched Nagini's bite and as the green shot from his wand and she screamed in denial all he could feel was the euphoric dark magic swirling in his veins and muddling his thoughts in a haze of pleasure. He watched dispassionately as Severus Snape's body fell to the side, his lifeless eyes staring up at them from the floor. Hermione's knees gave way and as she dropped he released her and let her fall. Her sobs turned so violent that she couldn't seem to get a solid breath of air in and she pulled the now dead potion's master's head into her lap. Her sobs turned to apologies as she ran her hand over his hair repeatedly.

"Get up girl. It's time for you to answer more questions and get this over with."

Reaching for her his breath left him is a whooshing sound as she leaned away from him and kicked him in the stomach as she slid backwards and stood.

"Go fuck yourself Voldemort!"

Her tears running down her face, her eyes ablaze with righteous anger, he watched her slide her hand into her pocket as he stepped towards her and then with a whispered word he didn't quite catch her eyes went blank and her entire body went limp. He caught her before she could hit the ground and he knew without having to check that she was no longer consciously there. Letting out a string of curses he picked her up and flicking his wrist to move the body in his way he took her out of the library and towards the lady of the house.


	22. Chapter 22-Aftermath

**Ummm...Greetings!**

**I know I left you all so very upset with me last chapter but it just kind of happened. It was not planned as I never do that..ever! I was just as upset about it and almost rewrote the whole ending but it is where the characters led me. I have plans and I promise in the end you will all forgive me for that. Just hang in there with me and let me get to the end of the tale...please! LOL**

**I know I should be updating Storm and I will as I had a reviewer who asked very nicely for me to update soon. I just have to get some of this Secret business out of my head. It had been swirling and getting more agitated the longer I have left it stewing. Hope you all like the update and I will be working on the next one right after I post. **

**No warnings needed this time I don't think other than usual its M-rated so language and lemons always possible. This one is a filler for all my readers who like to see how the other characters are reacting as it goes.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Harry, Ron, and Draco sat stunned as the last of the words scrolled across the journal page. Draco was the first to speak though his broken whisper of their Professor's name really couldn't be categorized as speaking. Harry had never seen the blonde look as open and desolate as he did at that very moment. He knew there was some sort of bond between him and their previous potions Professor but he never really considered that Malfoy might actually feel something that looked like love for the man.

The first lone tear that tracked down his cheek was followed by another and another until his vision was blurred by tears and his face burned from the salt. A tentative arm wrapped around his shoulder followed by another on the opposite side and the unexpected comfort offered from his past enemies broke the last thread of his control. His silent tears turned to gut wrenching sobs as he let the Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die and his red headed sidekick hold him up on either side as his world burned to ash.

He had no idea how long they sat that way but eventually his tears subsided and he felt like every part of him was numb and cold. He wasn't even sure he would ever be warm again. The one person who protected him from his father was now dead and the girl who had stolen his heart was lost to them all. Not that he could tell Potter that! They needed him alive and able to fight the Dark Lord once they were able to destroy all of his horcruxes. If he told them what she had just done…he knew both of the Gryffindors would run to help their friend and all would be lost. Though with Severus gone…it may all already be lost.

"Would you tell us about him…the Severus we did not know?"

At his confused look to Potter, the boy smiled a very sad smile and touched his forehead to Draco's.

"My godfather told me that talking about the people you love…especially when they are gone…keeps them alive and loved in your heart and in the hearts and minds of those you share them with. I only knew the Death Eater Spy who had no choice but to hate me because I am enemy number one. I never got to know the man that was so loved that my best friend was willing to die for him and the Slytherin Prince would drop his mask over. I would like to know that man so I can mourn him too. So…will you share him with me?"

"With us?"

The quiet yet cracked voice of Weasley startled him and as he looked over he saw the tear tracks down his cheeks. Even more confused but realizing he was not alone anymore, Draco began to tell them both all about his Godfather as they watched the journal to see what might happen next.

* * *

Tom was shockingly amused at his Knights. They had been sitting around a large table in a hidden room off the Slytherin common room for hours debating and discussing their parent's flawed teachings. Abraxas had shown and had brought everyone to the room that apparently only prefect knew about. After ordering dinner for everyone and getting situated, Tom had done something he had never done before outside of HG…he had trusted.

Using a pensive he had asked Lord Malfoy to bring, he had shown them memories of what he had witnessed, things that were to come, and the magical power of his little muggleborn wife. He explained what he was to become and how it would affect everyone there and their future generations.

After hours of going back and forth over the pureblood idiocy of blood status, he had convinced his Knights to at least discuss it all and ask questions. He had asked them to get to know the muggleborns in their school now and see what they could learn from them. As a last resort he said he was going to talk to Salazar himself and tell him all about what his legacy had caused and try to get him on board as well. The Knights had all agreed that if he could convince Slytherin to change his mind, they would all willingly follow his new regime.

During all of that the journal had warmed in his pocket and he had taken a moment to read the entry. His heart had almost stopped at her very obvious words of farewell and love and his determination only grew. He would not become that monster and he would not allow the wizarding world to continue in the same vein it was moving in now. By the time she was born following his time line…she would be welcomed with open arms by all.

It wasn't until later in the week that he had started to be concerned. He had talked to Salazar from his portrait for several days and after many questions and an annoying amount of argument and debate, Salazar Slytherin himself had endorsed his new plans for the future and had given a speech in the Slytherin common room about growing with the times and protecting all magical beings from the muggle world. Muggles had become more dangerous since his time and now they did not just have fire and stakes and religion…they had bombs and guns and war fare. Though a wizard was powerful with his magic…muggle outnumbered them by far. There was nothing prudent about trying to eradicate them or ostracize the muggleborns. That left magic out there for the muggles to learn about and that was not safe for anyone.

The journal had warmed again but with no message and had stayed that way for the last two days. It had never done that before and Tom was starting to worry about Hg and what could be happening that the journal was activated all the time. He had even tried to write her a message only to have it not send like it normally did at his command. He also had a sense of absolute loss and devastation any time he touched it and wondered if that was coming from her. Merlin help whoever caused it if it was!

* * *

Voldemort shut the door behind him as he entered the private room. No one but the Malfoy family was permitted in this suite normally. He had been given permission by Lucius when he realized that her Ladyship could be useful if persuaded just right.

Laying Hermione on the settee he turned and bowed low at the waist as the older witch in the painting looked down at his captive and sneered.

"It seems you have picked up some trash along the way Riddle. I do not like that you are sullying my furniture with such a lowly creature. Why have you brought Potter's mudblood to my private chambers?"

Holding his temper in check he gave her as much of an apologetic look as he could before he addressed her.

"Lady Ophelia…I sincerely apologize for that and I will buy you a new settee once we are done of course. This is the girl I was telling you about. She has managed to contact my past self and become friends with him. The memories have been getting stronger and causing some odd thoughts for me. I had her captured so that I could interrogate her on how she did it and how to make it stop. She has escaped my interrogations and attentions by using some spell to leave her body. I need to find out how she is doing this so I can pull her back to me or go to her. Did Abraxas ever mention any of this is the meetings you spied on?"

"He may have but tell me Riddle…what's in it for me this time? If I have understood the gossip correctly, my family had fled your leadership and is now being housed with that egotistical Dumbledore. My son may have become a sniveling waste of space but my grandson had potential! And now due to your inability to control the situation without causing bloodshed, he is out of my reach!"

Gritting his teeth he had to fight not to glare at her. Smoothing a strand of hair off of Hermione's face he thought about what he could offer.

"You touch her like you care for her! Have you gone and lost yourself to the fairer sex as well. What is it with wizards who allow their lives to be ruled by their hormones? It is a disgrace!"

Yanking his hand back he couldn't help but scowl up at her for that.

"I have no idea what the hell is happening and I assure you it is not me who is doing it! It seems the younger Tom managed to marry the chit somehow and now on top of the memories, I have a connection to her I do not understand."

The shrewd look in her eye was the exact reason he had started coming to the previous Lady Malfoy for ideas. She was one of those brilliant witches that had been forced to play her role and never allowed to use her full potential. He was happy to stroke her ego if it meant she would use that brain of hers for his cause.

"Even if she is seeing him through some journal as Draco explained and even if that journal was one of your horcruxes, they could not have married that way. It takes two souls to bond in a wizarding ceremony of marriage and an officiate to oversee the ritual and bless the vows. Unless his soul is also in the journal now it would not be possible to be married to him."

Watching her think and run through the information had always been fascinating for him. He had been as intrigued by her when he was running meeting out of Malfoy Manor in his thirties and she had been around to listen and talk to as well. He had been tempted to woo her from Abraxas but she had been quite comfortable as a Malfoy and he would have lost one of his most powerful and monetarily wealthy backers. In the end the little fling would not have been worth the loss.

"However, that does not really help the question you asked me. Give me your word on your magic that you will not harm or order or allow harm done to my dragon and I will tell you which library to go search for the answers to the issue you are seeking to rectify."

Pulling his wand from his sleeve he looked back down at the sightless witch before meeting the eyes of Ophelia once more.

"I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, now known as Lord Voldemort do swear on my magic that I will not harm or order or allow harm to come to Draco Lucius Malfoy for the information I seek about the journal and how to reach Hermione inside or pull her out."

As the magic swirled around them her smile turned vicious.

"Do not disappoint me Tom and find a way around that vow or I can promise you this house will not be near as welcoming to you or the rest of your idiot followers. The books you seek are on the third floor in the hidden library. The portrait of the hummingbird caught in the hawk's beak is the entrance. The password for now is Puritas enim Scientia. Now take your filth and leave my rooms. I have had enough of your face today."

Bowing again to hide the flare of anger, he lifted Hermione back into his arms and left without a backwards look. One day he was going to burn that portrait to cinders and see how much snark she had then. But for now she was useful so he would bear her remarks and her spite…for now.

* * *

The boys had gotten comfortable as Draco continued to relay different stories about his Godfather and they all laughed at the absurdity of it all.

"I could never see him cracking a joke let alone smiling. There really was a whole other man we never got to see inside all that black, billowing hatred."

The soft smile Draco gave was one they had never seen on his face and it was a comfort to know maybe they weren't so very different after all. The conversation halted however as words began to appear on the pages of the journal again.

"Who is Lady Ophelia?"

"My grandmother…scary woman. My grandfather really disliked her but she was chosen by his father as his bride. Didn't have much of a choice. My father is just as controlling and shrewd as she was apparently. I used to have to sit and listen to her drone on and on about responsibility to family and our house and our values until I thought about throwing myself off the roof of the manor. I was glad when I turned 11 and was off to Hogwarts!"

Both Gryffindors laughed as they continued to read the conversation. Ron let out a growl as it was obvious that Forked Tongue has his scale-y paws on Hermione and as his reasoning scribbled across the pages they all snorted.

"If only he knew that it was Dumbledick who married his soul to Hermione and not Tom and Hermione that did it. He would be even more hell bent on killing the old goat. Of course at this point he can get in line!"

"What does he mean she is stuck in her journal? Can't she go in and out at will?"

Ron looked over at Draco as he questioned the words being written.

"She can if she chooses. She can also stay in there indefinitely if she is in danger."

The look in Harry's eyes worried Draco but he waited to see what would happen.

"To go in though takes magic…a lot of it. If she stays it will slowly drain her core right? If he doesn't pull her out or go in with her…how long before her core burns out completely and she dies?"

Draco sighed before standing and pulling out his wand. Quietly mumbling the spells under his breath he cut his hand and flung the blood at the property line. Just as the wards went up locking in anyone not of Malfoy blood, he felt the shift in the air and side stepped to avoid being tackled by Weasley.

"What the hell Malfoy! You can't lock us in here!"

"I can if I know you are going to rush off and do something dumb! I don't know exactly how long she has Potter. It was our contingency plan if she ever was captured. If she didn't think she could get free she would go into the journal to protect all she knows until her core burned away and she died."

The angry shout from Ron and the broken denial on Harry's face was enough to make him have to drag in a breath of air passed the lump in his throat before he could speak again.

"I guessed with as powerful as she is that it would take up to a week before she was lost. It gave Severus and I time to get her out if we could. Now…I don't know. She would never survive the death of either one of you. She may just be going in to deal with her grief and she will come back out and try to escape. She didn't say she was giving up yet and losing Severus for her would be like losing her father. He may have loved her future self but our Hermione saw him like another parent. Give her time."

Watching Harry battle his Gryffindor nature was like watching a bull decide if it really wanted to attack the red cloth again and risk another sword. Finally he seemed to reign in his temper and he closed his eyes until his breathing slowed and his hands unclenched. Ron stood next to Draco and waited to see Harry's decision as well.

"Fine Malfoy…we wait. In three days' time, if she is not out of that book…we are going to the manor to save her. Agreed?"

Holding out his hand Harry kept his eyes on Draco's as he stepped forward.

"Agreed!"

Clasping hands for the first time Draco knew something big had just happened and couldn't help but worry what was going to come next for the three of them.


	23. Chapter 23-Saving Me

**Greetings again my friends!**

**Now I know a lot of you are just so mad at me right now. I will only say that I swear in the end you will not be. Hang in there as we get through all this negative angst and drama. A story is not any good if its all fluff and no omg wtf's! At least not to me lol. You have to have some sort of drama that makes you want to throw the book, or in this case your computer or phone.**

**Warning: Rated M story so duh! Plus mentions of suicide and torture in this chapter. Do be warned and if its a trigger, I would suggest not reading my story anymore cause I'm more grey/dark like my version of Tom then I am light and goodness like HG.**

**All my adoration to those who have reviewed and kept me laughing and so very fluffy inside that I can't stop writing this story at the moment. You guys are my heart beat and my very air. (opps my Huffle popped out-shove her baaaaack in her cage!) Okay on with the show!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom's ability to be patient had come to its end. It had been four days straight on his end that the journal was warm and exuding different energy from sadness and despair to fury and suicidal contemplation. He had no idea what was causing such thoughts as he had not gotten a single entry since her basic goodbye and he was on edge. Though he did his best to keep it away from his Knights and his school days, he was starting to fray around the edges. Something had to give and it couldn't be him…not if he was to become what HG needed him to be.

Closing the curtains around his bed, new ones he had gotten a very helpful house elf to hang for him after repairing his bed posts, he cast the silence spell HG had taught him along with several shielding and ward charms to keep his possible accidental magical outbursts from harming his dorm mates again. Pulling the journal out from under his pillow, he laid down holding it to his chest. Keeping his voice calm and quiet he did the only thing he had not tried to do yet…

"Hermione…dove…please talk to me. I can feel your fear and your sorrow and it is killing me. I just want to try to help you if I can. I forgive you for pushing me away. Hell I was never really mad at you for it. I knew why you did it and I understood. I know you are still alive…I can feel it…so why have you not contacted me or pulled me to you? The journal feels like it does when you are inside it so why am I out here alone and you are in there alone? Isn't that what having someone who loves you is for?"

Closing his eyes and rolling to his side he wrapped his arms around the journal as if he could hold her to him, wishing he could feel the loss enough to let the tears lodged in his chest fall. He was so tired of not being able to feel what was there. His thrice damned mother and her selfish need was keeping him from feeling all he knew he felt for his dove. If he wasn't changing his ways he would go back in time himself and kill her for being such a fucking simpleton.

"I understand what you mean by having fallen so far that everything is different. I know it's there even if I can't feel it fully and I want to make a better life for you and with you. I want to bring the world to its knees for hurting you and I want to lay it at your feet. I know that is not what you would want though so I will shape it in an image you can be happy in and I will do it in a way you can be proud of."

Running his hand down the spine and imagining it was her back he didn't even feel the small cut he caused on his thumb as it caught a rough bit of the cover. Continuing to talk, he gently stroked it leaving small lines of ruby red blood behind.

"You no longer have to want me to take a different path…I am already doing it. I won't just present myself to you in the future as a dark grey…I will be as light a shade of grey as I can make myself. You are right…I would never be a wizard without the darkness but I can make sure all the light you gave me keeps it as far at bay as it can. I will live for you…for us…and I will live as close to the way you would prefer as I can. I will be the leader you need and I will even take care of the damn peacock driven Malfoys. Just please come back to me now. I need to see your face…hear your voice."

Putting his forehead against the journal he felt an overwhelming sense of loss and despair flow through him again and his breath hitched in his chest.

"Please dove…please let me in…let me hold you. You can throw spells at me or cuss or scream and cry. Whatever you need just please let me come to you so I can be with you. You were my secret to collect but you are my soul to keep. I love you Hermione Jean Granger-Riddle and all I am is yours."

As the last words left his lips he felt an odd sensation from his eyes. Reaching up he caught the tear that fell. As he watched in awe it dropped from his finger tip to the journal and with a searing pain he was pulled forward as his vision went black.

He opened his eyes only to have to close them again as the rain falling hit his face in a fierce pelting. Rolling to his side he looked around. He knew they were on the grounds of Hogwarts and a little in the distance was a figure sitting near the Black Lake. Pushing to his feet he took off at a jog across the grass until her wet curls became clearer. With a relief that was palpable he stopped in front of her and dropped to his knees. Her face, what of it he could see through her matted hair was ashen. Her bottom lip was bleeding where she had been worrying at it with her teeth. Though that registered as strange he couldn't focus on it at the moment. She was soaking wet from head to toe and he could tell she was shivering slightly. Her eyes though...they scared him the most. She was looking straight through him as if she couldn't see him and they were blank…dead. He had never seen her without some kind of emotion...even when she was using her shields to keep her emotions in check.

Going slowly as to not scare her, Tom reached up and carefully brushed the hair off her face before cupping her cheek in his hands. Her eyes did not change at all and there was no response. His chest aching and his fear growing he settled on the ground and pulled her gently into his body.

"Dove...please talk to me. What happened?"

He ran his hand down her hair over and over in what he hoped was a soothing manner as he spoke gently in her ear. He repeated everything he had said outside of the journal to her over and over again hoping something would break through this zombie like trance she was in and bring her back to him.

"You...killed...him."

The words were said so quietly that he didn't quite catch what she said. Leaning his head closer he whispered for her to say it again only to fall back away from her as she exploded into motion, a whirling tornado of fury and despair.

"YOU KILLED HIM!"

He didn't expect her attack which is why they ended up rolling down the hill towards the water before he caught his balance and stopped their momentum. Her small hands pounded on his chest as she continued to scream and rage at him about her beloved Professor and Voldemort and Avada until he finally caught on to what she was saying and froze. Knowing this was bad and only going to get worse if he didn't get it under control, Tom grabbed her wrists on one of her down swings, canted his hips and rolled in one swift move.

Her cry of outrage made his ears ring as he pinned her arms to the ground and slid his body over her thighs so he had her pinned under him. He let her rage until her voice grew scratchy and hoarse before he tried to reason with her.

"Dove…"

"Don't call me that!"

Her cry of anguish caused him to pause as he took in the tears falling from her eyes and the pain etched on her face.

"That bastard used my name for you didn't he? Fine...Hermione please calm down. I didn't kill Professor Snape. I know that snake faced bastard is the future me for you but it was not me. I would never hurt you that way! Please stop fighting me and talk to me instead. Let me hold you and listen and help you. I'm begging you please don't use what he did against me...it's what he would want."

Tugging at her wrists she growled in anger before finally going still and glaring up at him.

"You are him...there is no difference. He has memories of things we have done together. Nothing I did changed anything and I got the only person I had to keep me safe killed."

Though her words hurt and he felt his anger try to take over he pushed it all down and took Abraxas advice for once.

"You're right...he is me and I am him. But I will not become him this time. He didn't have you and he is too far gone now to understand what I have that he is experiencing. Please baby...please don't label me in the same category as him. Please…"

His voice breaking at the end seemed to snap her out of her anger as she pulled on her wrist and he let her go. Reaching up Hermione touched his face as her eyes softened. Letting her other wrist go and framing her face with his hands he looked between her eyes to make sure she was staying with him.

"You called me baby…"

The wonder and awe in her voice made his chest feel like it was melting and he nodded at her as he placed his forehead against hers.

"Please tell me what happened...what can I do to help?"

"Stay here with me…"

Lifting up slightly to look her in the eyes, he gave her a small smile of affection.

"Of course I will...as long as you need me."

Her smile was filled with sadness and pain as she brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"I don't plan to ever leave Tom. The longer I am here, the lower my magical core gets. Eventually it will get low enough that I won't be able to leave and I will fade away. I don't want to fight this war anymore. I don't want to fight Voldemort or the Death Eaters or the pain of losing one more person. I am tired and broken and just want it to be over. Will you stay with me?"

He was torn between giving her anything she needed and the idea of her dying and fading away so painfully. She had no idea but he had read about people whose cores burned out...it was more painful than the Crucio.

"I admit I don't look forward to dying at 16 in a magical journal in the most painful way possible for a wizard...but if that is what you want baby...I am here with you until the end of it all."

Her hand pushed through his wet hair and she pulled him down until her lips met his. The kiss was tender and unhurried and he wasn't sure how long it lasted as she moved her legs and he slid gently down until he was cradled between her thighs.

"Make love to me Tom. Make me forget everything but you. Everything aches inside…please make me yours…make it stop…please."

Any will power he would have had to tell her they should wait until she was less upset died as her last please broke on a sob of need and despair. He realized he could deny her nothing and with a surrender that came easier than he ever thought possible, he let go of his control and his logic and let his caged heart and soul take him where it led.

Gripping her hair he tipped her face up and kissed her again, pouring his pain at being kept away from her and his anger on her behalf into the kiss. He understood tenderness and the concept of love but she wanted _him_ to take her. He was not love and light and tenderness. He was darkness and anger and possession. She was his and he would possess her completely now that he had her permission.

Her groan of submission only fueled him on and as he deepened the kiss to a bruising tangle of lips and tongue he released her hair to sit up, pulling her with him to not break the kiss. Reaching down he grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head in one swift motion, going back to her lips as soon as the material was free. Reaching back he unhooked her bra with only a little hiccup before he tossed that over his shoulder as well.

Giving her no time for shyness, Tom broke the kiss only to hold her just right so her back arched and pulled one already pebbling nipple into his mouth. Giving it a hard pull causing her to moan louder, he nipped the peak before alternating rolling or flicking his tongue around and over it. Her moan turned to a wanton cry and with devilish glee he pulled till it popped out of his mouth before moving to the other to do the same thing.

He continued to move back and forth from one to the other until her cries and pants turned to whines of need as she trembled in his arm and rocked her hips trying to get any sort of friction. It seemed his studies had not failed him in this and his chest filled with pride as he continued to drive his beautiful dove insane with desire.

Her hands suddenly flew to his shirt and with a strength he didn't realize she had, she pulled, sending buttons flying in all directions as the thread tore. Running her hands along his sides and across his chest, she pushed the shirt from his shoulders forcing him to release his hold on her to rip it the rest of the way off. As soon as his arm was gone she moved so she was on her knees as well, rejoining their lips in another heated kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed their naked bodies together. Her heated skin against his in the gently pouring rain made his flesh pebble and groaning into her mouth he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her even tighter against him.

Threading one hand through her hair and gripping down he ran his other one down her back until he cupped her ass with a firm squeeze. Shifting back so he was sitting on his calves, he pulled her fully into his lap with her legs straddling him and her core pressed against his aching cock. He was going to have to bury himself in her soon or he might just die but first he had to make sure she was ready. He didn't want to hurt her if this was going to be the only time they had together.

Sinking into her mouth and the pleasure that alone caused, Tom moved his hands to grip her waist as she started to listen to her body and rocked her hips. Wanting to feel her soft flesh as she rocked that way, he mumbled against her lips as he ran his nails down her thighs.

"Take them off Hermione…I don't have access to my magic here."

Raising his hands to cup her jaw as he kissed her again, his moan matched hers as she waved a hand at her jeans to vanish them and only her panties and his slacks were between them now. With another careless wave they were both suddenly very naked and his moan turned to a surprised groan as his length slide along her wet center.

"Please Tom…stop dragging it out."

Nipping her lower lip before soothing the sting with his tongue he slid his hand down and between them to circle her tight bud with two fingers. Sliding his other hand behind them he gently caressed her slit to coat his fingers with her juices. Sliding one finger into her and then a second he slowly stretched her to take him as he continued his slow torturous circles of her clit.

Her panting turned to mewls of pleasure and as she began to tighten around his fingers he readied himself. One of her hands gripping his hair and the other digging her nails into his shoulder she came with a cry of release, his name a benediction on her lips. Just as he felt her start to release his fingers he slid them out and in one smooth motion pushed his cock inside her to the hilt. Though her body was tight from her release, she was wet enough that he went in with little resistance. Her wince and slight gasp of pain had him holding still as she fell against him shuttering.

Her chest rising and falling against his made him hold her tenderly and as her body adjusted she rolled her hips experimentally. That was all he had been waiting for and with a care he didn't know he possessed he held her to him with one arm wrapped around her back and holding her head while the other wrapped lower and grasped her waist. As he rolled upward he pulled her gently down. Holding her body completely down on his he rolled his hips a few times to let his cock stretch her open more for him. The movement caused him to rub her clit again and her hiss of discomfort turned to an awed breath of pleasure.

Releasing her he leaned back so he could watch her face as he guided her to move in rolling circles up and down. As the pain faded and the pleasure of their joined bodies started to take hold he rubbed her clit gently with his thumb as her head fell back with his name falling from her lips again. Watching her was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen as her cheeks flushed with desire and her moistened lips parted on her breathy sighs and fluttering moans. Not realizing his thoughts he gripped her hips tighter as his own need to possess her started to take over.

Her eyes opened and with a glazed look she gave him a smile filled with love and acceptance.

"I can feel your need to take me Tom. You said all you are is mine…"

Leaning forward she took his face into her hands and met him stroke for stroke as he lost a piece of his control and slammed into her hard.

"All I am is yours as well. Stop holding back and give me what is mine. I don't want you gentle of filled with light. You are _my_ dark wizard and you promised me every part of you. I love you Tom…every piece of you…do as you wish."

Losing the last shred of his control her pain had brought back, Tom lifted her as he lay forward putting her beneath him where he wanted her. Putting one arm on the ground beside her head so he could prop himself up to see her, he used the other hand to pull her leg up high on his back to open her fully. Watching her face and eyes for any pain he let the darkness consume him and slammed into her with deep, hard strokes. Her first cry was anything but pain filled and only egged his possession on. Looking down the length of her body he watched her breasts jolt with every thrust. He wanted to taste them again but was too consumed with how good it felt to sink his length completely into her.

Trailing his eyes further down he only caught a glimpse of what he wanted. Pushing up to his knees he used both hands to pull her hips up off the ground so he had full control as he continued his punishing pace in and out of her tight channel. Watching his cock disappear into her was the sexiest thing he had ever seen and a new, stronger wave of possessiveness overwhelmed him. Gripping her hips tightly, knowing he was going to leave marks he growled the words that flowed from very core to his mouth.

"Say your mine Hermione. Scream it until it echoes into the world beyond this one. Fucking say your mine!"

Dropping forward again to grab her hair and yank her head back he sunk his teeth into the skin where her shoulder met her neck as the last growled words rang out. Her scream was of both pain and shocked pleasure and she clamped down on his invading length as she came in a rush of liquid honey. Lost in her body he fucked her with a frenzy he didn't even know he was capable of and as she screamed his name and that she was his over and over again he came in a rush of electricity down his spine and his magic flaring within him for the first time in the journal world he pushed it into her until her cry turned to a silent scream of soul shattering pleasure.

Filling her with his magic and his essence, Tom cried out her name, his voice cracking at the end with the force of his release. Collapsing against her he tried to catch his breath but couldn't seem to get enough air. Her body was shuttering under him as she wrapped her arms and legs around him and held him tightly to her. He could feel her cheeks were wet and he turned his head with effort to kiss away her tears, knowing instinctively that they were not from pain but her overwhelming emotions.

Remembering the ritual that Abraxas brought to him and no longer caring if he ever left this journal again, Tom wordless cut a shallow line along the palm of his hand and hers with his magic. As the blood welled and she hissed in surprise he linked their fingers together and pressed his bloodied palm against hers.

"If we were going to survive and have a life outside this magical cage, I would have waited for you and this. Since we are ending here together then I want to be yours and I want you to truly be mine. Hermione Jean Granger…will you consent to be my wife from now until the end of all things?"

Her breath hitched as he felt more tears fall from her eyes. Pushing up enough to look down into her eyes he could see her love as clear as the sun on a cloudless day and his chest tightened in that ache he had grown so very used to over the years he had known her.

She gave a small nod of her head as the smile he craved so much blossomed on his face.

"I will! I will consent to be your wife Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr from now until the end of all things."

Giving her a smile in return he started to say the ritual words that would bind them together when his body was wracked with a pain he had never felt before. A cry tore from his lips as he was pulled off of Hermione and shoved to the ground. Her scream of terror broke through his own pain and with a herculean effort he fought the effects of the spell to open his eyes. The sight that met him made his blood run cold as his Hermione was being pulled up by her hair by the monster she had shown him he would become.

"You traitorous little bitch! Did you really think I would not find a way into my own horcrux and stop you from fucking up my plans any more than you already have?"

As she gained her feet, the monster released her only to backhand her with his magic behind it, sending her flying a few feet back before she landed and rolled with a cry of pain. Completely ignoring him, the bastard took steady strides until he reached Hermione and grabbed her by the throat before lifting her to her feet again.

"I will erase his memory of you and everything you have every done to him…to ME! Then I am going to torture you until your core burns to ashes. This will be your very last memory of this life…you had him and still you will lose. You should have learned your place you little mudblood whore…beneath your betters with your mouth shut!"

Her eyes turned in time to see him reaching for her tormentor and with a cry born of desperation and rage she flung her power out, knocking him away from Voldemort and Voldemort away from them both. Running between them as they were both suddenly clothed she threw her arms up until there was a very visible wall between him and No-Nose.

Her terror was plain to see in her eyes but she placed her hand on the wall and shook her head at him.

"You can't touch him. I don't know what kind of paradox that would cause Tom. I would rather die than have something happen to you. I was never happy with anyone in my heart because they didn't belong there. It was always you…always."

He could taste his fear and denial as she turned and raised her hands to her side, her magic sparking along her fingertips as she faced the being he knew to be her very worst nightmare.

"You kill me you snaked faced abomination and he is set free. The magic here is not yours to control…it's mine! Just like he is mine…and you can never have him!"

The Dark Lord had regained his feet and as a 17 year old version of him stepped out from nothingness and sneered in her direction, she knew there was no way she could win this fight. But she would hold on as long as possible to let the magic do its work and get Tom free. His split soul piece stepped into him and as they melded the red in his eyes flashed brighter and his magic sparked in the air around him.

"Let us test that theory shall we dove?"


	24. Chapter 24-Paradox It Is

**Greetings my lovely readers!**

**I know...it's not the weekdays and yet i am updating! I had this half way finished and I could not leave it alone so I emailed it home and finished it here. My home set up is not as good, so any errors in grammar or spelling are mine and will be fixed Monday when I get back to my awesome programs there.**

**This one was heart wrenching to write but it is not the end and my redemption begins now for those of you still wanting to burn me at the stake for the witch I am.**

**Warnings: Torture and violence-if these are triggers please move on.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**P.S. The title was going to be 'Paradox Be Damned' but FF won't let you curse in the chapter titles...so now you know lol**

* * *

"Let us test that theory shall we dove?"

There was no other warning as the magic started to fly back and forth between the Princess of Gryffindor and the Heir of Slytherin. Every color of the rainbow sparked and sizzled in the air as both opponents ducked and rolled from the bright lines of power while simultaneously slashing through the air with spells of their own.

Hermione could hear Tom screaming at her in rage and fear as he pounded on the wall she had erected between them to keep him safe. Something about their joining had allowed his magic to open up to him and he was doing his very best to unravel the wards she had set in place so he could escape to help her fight. Those were wards Severus had taught her though and sixteen year old Tom Riddle was not quite at that level just yet.

The thought of her Professor had grief flooding her body and a fury she had never felt flooding her heart. Having a moment to understand the reason that witches and wizards fell prey to the darker magicks, she used her pain to push her physically and to boost her magic but she left the hate she felt out of their fight. She would not win by giving him the pleasure of seeing her compromise her own morals.

The duel continued longer than she expected it to and she realized he was limited here as well if he didn't want to drain his own damaged core too far. Dodging a bright purple spell that came rushing towards her, Hermione stumbled into the ward and felt the zap of the magic keeping everyone at bay. Her wince was enough of a distraction that Voldemort's next spell hit her in the thigh. As blood welled she rolled away and fired back at him, catching him off guard with her speed and scoring a hit across his cheek.

Both paused with heaving breaths as they stared each other down from across the battlefield. His mouth suddenly tipped up in a cocky smile and as it sent a shiver down her spine she readied herself for his next attack.

"Such a little Gyrffindor you are my dove. I think it is time to show you why Slytherin will always be the house to beat and clip those wings of yours."

Running his finger across his cheek to collect the blood he flung it behind him where the piece of his soul had appeared from. As it hit an invisible barrier, the very air sizzled and hissed like an angry viper.

"Now Bellatrix!"

His voice boomed across the open air and as his words registered she only had a moment to stare at him in shock before the pain wracked her body and stole her air from her. Her knees gave way and she fell without any control. The impact with the ground did not even register past the pain coursing along her nerve endings. It felt like her bones were being shattered over and over again while hot pokers were shoved into her skin and organs.

She had no idea how long the pain lasted but by the time his voice rang out again and the pain stopped she couldn't stop from dry heaving as she pulled herself shaking to her knees.

"Drop the wards my precious little bird and we can be done with this prolonged pain."

Trying to speak only to choke on a cough and spit out blood, Hermione took a deep breath in and tried again. Looking up at him from her knees she raised her chin in a show of defiance as she forced her damaged voice to work.

"No!"

His eyes filled with disbelief and then rage and with another bellow the pain started anew. Her skin flayed off of her muscles and with a banshee like shriek she fell forward to the ground again, convulsing in agony as the Cruciatus spell rip her apart from the inside out. This round lasted even longer and Hermione could feel her life ebbing away as her magic tried to protect her and failed.

"Drop…the…wards!"

His words barely registered as her mind glazed over from the pain and she drifted in a state peace as her body twitch from aftershocks of pain. Tilting her head just enough she met the eyes of her lover and the tears tracking down his face were almost her undoing. She had not been sure earlier with the rain if he had been crying but with the sky darkened by black clouds but no rain she knew that what he felt was real, even if it was locked behind a curse she had no idea how to break.

"Please HG…drop the wards…please."

Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at him and keeping her eyes on him she pushed with much effort to her knees again. With a will born of love she kept her eyes on her beloved while giving the monster his answer.

"You cannot…have him you slimy bastard!"

Turning her head to look at him, she let him see her fear drain away as her determination gave her strength.

"I will die before I drop the wards snake face…I've known muggles with more class and less barbarism then you…you disgust me! So do whatever it is you are going to do you pathetic excuse for a wizard."

This time the spell did not come from outside the journal but his very own core as he grew enraged. The spell was the worst that she had had to deal with and even her voice left her as the pain burned down her magical pathways and turned her brain into a pool of molten lava. She knew this was going to be the one that drove her into insanity and it was the last thing she knew before the pain swept even that thought away.

She had no idea when the pain ended or how long she had been laying there twitching in remembered agony. Tom's raging voice was the first thing she heard and though she tried to move she was unable to even feel her body let along make it cooperate with her commands. Rolling her eyes up, she could make out the blurring outlines of Lord Unable-To-Cry-Cause-I-Have-No-Nose and Tom. Both were standing face to face with her ward between them.

"Come now Tom…this is ridiculous. Remember your goals! She is just one filthy mudblood in a sea of them. If that is what you want then go and collect as many dirty little pets as you please. Why would you throw away our empire on one muggle whore with stolen magic?"

"You are a fucking idiot! Look at yourself…look where your _plan_ got us! You have hardly any of your soul left. You look like something the Thresals shat out! Even the scavengers wouldn't touch you if they were starving. We can wait here for as long as it takes motherfucker! When this ward comes down I am going to tear you limb from limb for what you did to Hermione. She is MINE! You know better than anyone what happens when you touch something that is mine."

Both wizards stepped back and began attacking the wards with raw magical power trying to break through it. Knowing she could not let that happen, Hermione focused with all her might until she was able to slid her arm so her hand was pointing in their direction. Calling upon her last drops of magic she could feel she strengthened the wards once more and as Lord Fuck Face turned to glare at her she flicked her wrist and sent him flying away from Tom again.

"Hermione STOP! You are going to burn your core out before I get to you. Stop fighting him!"

She gave him a sweet smile as her head drifted back to the ground. She couldn't feel anything else except a growing ache in her chest that was slowly becoming more and more painful. Mouthing _i love you_ to him one last time she turned her head to the sky and let her mind start to drift as the sharp stabbing turnd to razor blades dragging along her heart.

"Where do you think you are going my little dove? I did not give you permission to fly away just yet. I want you alive to watch me erase you from his mind and from exsistence at the same time."

With a gleeful malice in his eyes, Voldemort knelt down and placed one hand under her shirt on her sternum and the other against her forehead. With a few muttered words she screamed as it felt like hot sludge was being poured into her body. It coated her insides in slime and made her retch at the foul taste of sulfur that filled her mouth. Pulling away from her he watched her roll to her hands and knees and dry heave again as the power rushed through her body.

"Little goodie-two-shoes Gryffindor can't take the power of a stronger wizard. Maybe if you had bothered to delve into the darker arts just a little bit you would be strong enough to defeat me and mine. But you are weak just like every single witch and wizard in your little Order. Once I have killed you in all ways, I will turn my sights on that ridiculous boy everyone thinks is going to save them...and I am going to make it slow and agonizing this time."

Pushing off her knees she rushed him with a cry of fury only to be knocked off her feet with a wave of his hand. Flying back and slamming into the ward, she cried out as the magic sizzled along her body; a warning to back away.

"Hermione..."

Looking back over her shoulder as she started to push up off the ground she met Tom's eyes and felt the gentle pressure of his mind on hers. Dropping her shields without any hesitation she allowed him to flood her mind with his presence.

_Let me out Hermione. We have talked about time travel and paradox' many times. I understand the risks. We were going to die here together already...let me fight with you. I would rather die opposing him than live without you. Please baby...trust me...lean on me like you did your Professor and I swear I will keep you safe._

The connection was broken as Voldemort grabbed her by the arm and draggd her bodily away from the ward and Tom. Throwing her to the ground he knelt until he was straddling her waist and pinned her arms with magic. Wrapping his hands around her throat he began to squeeze as his rage blazed in his eyes.

Twisting her body and kicking her legs, Hermione tried to break free as her air was slowly cut off. She could hear Tom yelling at her and then at Voldemort until his voice cracked as his tears choked him again. The black spots that started to appear around her eyes made her realize that for her this was all too real now and with a hopeful heart she closed her eyes and concentrated on her wards. As the world narrowed to a thin point as her brain started to fail with no oxygen she used the extra magic shoved into her to shatter the last of her protection.

With a roar that she barely registered in her ringing ears the weight above her was gone and she could suddenly breath again. Dragging in ragged, gasping breaths she focused to unpin her hands and turned in time to see Tom and his elder self roll down the hill so intent on breaking each other that neither noticed the lake coming closer and closer. Not wanting to give Voldemort any advantage she closed her eyes and changed the scenery.

The grass and open fields turned into a thriving forest of green. The smell of pine filled the air as the chirping of birds made an all too happy sountrack to the fight that was still commensing in front of her. Rising to her feet, Hermione started to step towards them when Tom got free, pushed to his feet and leaped onto Voldemort's back, slapping his hands against his bald head and serpintine face.

The next few moments felt like the world stopped spinning as both Riddle's were encased in a bright white light. The magic in the journal pulsed to life like a great beating heart. The raw power was so heavy that Hermione couldn't keep her feet and dropped to her knees with a wince. As the pulsing grew faster and the light grew more intense, she heard two distinctive voices start to scream in agony.

Faster pulsing, brighter light until Hermione had to cover her eyes and curl in on herself to try to have less of her to hit. Her own magic grew and expanded inside of her chest until she felt like she was going to explode. Just as suddenly as it started a great pull and the universe itself inhaled deeply before pushing outward throwing her up into the air and away from the epicenter. Trees explode into tiny shards of wood as the landscape was obliterated in the wake of whatever force had surrounded the two wizards.

As she hit the ground her head snapped back and the force of it pushed her beyond her limits. As the blackness swallowed her up her last thought was of Tom and if she would ever see him again.

* * *

Tom came awake to aches from head to toe. His magic was running inside him like a pack of nifflers who had found a dragon's horde. Sitting up gingerly, he looked around, shocked at the utter destruction of the beautiful forest that had become the very fiber of his time with Hermione.

As her name crossed his mind his pulse kicked up and he rolled to his feet, frantically looking around. Lord No-Nose was no where to be found and neither was the love of his life. With that thought he felt an overwhelming warmth flood his chest where the ache used to be and he realized with absolute clarity that he loved her...and he could feel it.

"HERMIONE!"

His shout of elation rang through the forest and echoed of the remaining trees and broken trunks. Listening he heard rustling and a very faint cough before the glolrious sound of her groan of pain reached his ears. Turning to face the correct direction he took off at a sprint, dodging tree limps and broken branches and leaping over downed trunks as he made his way across the forest.

Leaping over a rather large tree trunk he skidded to a halt as he saw her covered in debris with a small cut across her cheek and another along her forehead. Scrambling over anything in his path he slid and stumbled until he was beside her, gently lifting the limbs away from her body.

"Hermione...dove...are you okay?"

Her honey brown eyes, those eyes he wanted to get lost in for the rest of his life, opened to look into his ocean blue eyes and the smile she gave him made his heart skip and his eyes fill. So this is what it meant to love someone so much you couldn't live without them.

Reaching to help her as she started to sit up, he pulled her into his arms and just held her as she caught her breath and reorientated herself.

"What happened?"

Leaning back to help clean the cuts on her face and heal them, he shrugged and pulled bits of pine needles out of her hair.

"I have no idea. I knew that the theory was that if two of the same thing touched while out of place that time would literally set everything right. Time is one of those tricky things that does not like to be messed with. I figured I had a fifty/fifty shot of survivng it."

Her glare told him that was not necessarily the right thing to say but all he could do was give her a heart stopping, lopsided grin. Her glare faded as she stared at him before she seemed to melt against him.

"So you just decided it was him or you and fuck it? Tom...how very Gryffindor of you."

His laughter rang out again and this time it was so geniune that she could hear the difference in it immediately. Looking up she gave him a furrowed look of confusion and he couldn't help but smile more.

"I love you!"

She chuckled and nodded to him.

"I'm aware...I love you too."

"No Hermione...you don't understand!"

Grabbing her hand he laid it over his heart and met her eyes with his love shining through for her to see.

"I...love...you! I can feel it! No more ache that is stuck. No more saying it and wishing I understood how it felt. I know now! I love you and I know how it feels!"

Her cry of joy was smothered as his lips crashed into hers. The kiss turned heated quickly and as both rose to their knees to pull tighter together, neither cared about anything else in that moment but the love they had for each other and the knowledge that it was real.

Pulling back to catch their breaths, their smiles were ridiculously wide and both laughed, unable to contain the feelings of happiness and completeness. As Tom reached to brush another leaf from her hair, Hermione cried out and doubled over in obsvious pain.

"Hermione...what's wrong?"

"I..I don't..."

Her words were interrupt as she screamed again and fell into Tom, gripping his shirt with white knuckled hands.

"It hurts! Something is happening Tom and I don't know what it is!"

His mind running through all his medical texts he had read, he touched on a passage he had read in one of the time theory books Hermione had let him borrow. His eyes widen in disbelief and he stared down at her in terror.

"No...please no..."

His whisper was not quiet enough and through the pain she tilted her head to look at him and cup his cheek in her hand.

"What is it? Tell me what you thought of..."

His head jerking back and forth in refusal, he lifted her up and started to walk towards their clearing and their tree. Sitting down with her in his lap, he held her close as she cried out again before going quiet in his arms.

Transfiguiring a knife from a pine cone, Tom took her hand and cut into it, making a pattern only known to wizards who had delved deep into the dark arts. Knowing it was against what she wanted from him...he couldn't lose her completely. Her whine turned into a hiss and then a cry as she tried to jerk her hand away from him.

Holding her tightly he finished the pattern and began chanting the words the ritual had provided. As pain wracked her body she feebly fought him, begging him to explain what he was doing. Completing the spell he took her hand and pushed it against the tree trunk, letting her blood run in rivlets along the bark.

"I will not lose you forever. I can only hope when the time comes that you can forgive me Hermione. I love you too much to let you go!"

The words died on her lips as she rolled out of his lap, her hands going to her eyes as she screamed in agony until her voice started to fade and crack again. Small lines of line appeared under her skin and ran zig-zag patterns up and down her entire body.

"Look at me Hermione...Look at me!"

As her hands dropped and her eyes shot to his, he pushed forward and captured her unshielded mind.

"Imperio."

Her entire body relaxed and she gave him that lovely soft smile that he had come to rely on and see in his dreams.

"It's okay dove. No more pain. When you wake this will all have been like another life time to you."

Moving forward on his knees he placed his hands on her face, cupping her cheeks gently as the first tear fell down his own cheek.

"I will reshape this world into one that will love you and accept you and see you for your brilliance and worth. When you wake it will be to a whole new world...the one you always dreamed of as a little girl when you found out you were a witch. I am going to lay the world at your feet the only way I know how...but it will be in shades of grey...not black."

Her skin heated under his hands and with a slight hiss he had to let her go. The burning white flames started in the depths of her eyes and soon she was alight, the heat so searing that Tom had to move away from her. Just as quickly as it had started, the fire went out and sitting before him was his Hermione...a statue made of ash with the smile he craved still on her soft lips.

Reaching forward he brushed her cheek and as the ashes tumbled to the ground in a pile he said the only thing left to say to her.

"I will love you until the end of all things..."

He felt the magic in the journal release him and he closed his eyes as he fell from his own personal heaven back to the rotting Earth he had to repair.


	25. Chapter 25-Making Plans and Lemon Drops

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**It's time for some time filler to get Tom where he needs to be and let you know what happens as he gets there. The next few chapters will be jumps in time as I hit the highlights of his life and what he is doing to keep his promise to HG.**

**Warning: Torture and Character death**

**See you soon!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr sat at the head of the Slytherin table watching the graduation feast move forward. All of the staff had given their speeches and awards were presented to exemplary students, students such as himself and several of his Knights. The actual graduation ceremony was scheduled for in the morning before the last train ride that would take them away from the Hogwarts grounds and out into the world as adult wizards. He was looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow he began to put his plan into action.

Catching the eye of Headmaster Dippet, Tom inclined his head in a show of respect to the man as he held his glass up in a toast. The Headmaster smiled kindly at him and mimicked his gesture. Though the man did not feel Tom was ready just yet to take on the Defense position here at the school, he had set him up for an apprenticeship in Russia with a well-known and respected master, Gideon Dolohov. He was not only a master in Defense Against the Dark Arts but a world renowned duelist and curse breaker. Tom was looking forward to his apprenticeship and the traveling he would be doing beforehand. He had a trip of Europe planned and would make a nice long stop in Austria while he was there.

Bringing his attention back to the present, he listened in as Avery and Mulciber discussed the trip Mulciber would be taking over the summer before he started at his father's businesses. What Mulciber didn't know was that Avery would be with him taking care of the first order of business on his list of things to change. After the many times Avery had been there to keep him calm and help him reign in his infamous temper, he was the closest thing Tom had to a brother. If he were just a little more of a badger he would say the young man had become like family to him the way HG used to talk about her Harry.

The very thought of Hermione made his healing heart shatter once again. He did his best to keep his mind focused on the present but there were so many days in that first month without her that it was all he could talk about. His class work had started to slip and it wasn't long before Dippet, Dumbledore, and several of his other professors had started to worry and intervened. Though he had kept the truth a secret, he had told them he had lost someone he loved dearly and that he was not handling it well. The only one that was suspicious was Dumbledore but after letting him scan his mind, carefully feeding him what he needed to see, Tom had gained a new confidant to talk to.

He had used that to his advantage and his plans. He spent hours each week speaking with and learning from Dumbledore and had even become one of the students the Gryffindor champion praised and was biased towards. As HG had told him in the beginning, he needed to get Dumbles on his side and so he had. The old man had no idea of the burning thoughts at the back of his mind or his plans and sometimes it was hard to sit and pretend to admire the old goat when the hatred for him burned ever deeper.

The pain of losing her had faded enough over time that he was able to focus on his studying and his planning with his trusted inner circle. Every one of them had a part to play from the moment they left the grounds on graduation day until the world was remade in his image and it was ready to be laid at his dove's feet. Until then he would work to continue to make changes and move forward as he waited these long years for her to return to him.

Tom continued to listen as Rosier discussed his summer plans with Mulciber next. Both would be taking over their family businesses come fall which was a good part of Tom's plan. The older generation had to go in order for the new generation to be able to do what needed to be done. Outside of Hogwarts, money was changing hands left and right to get Abraxas voted in as Minister of Magic on the next term election. The current Minister was too set in his pureblood ways and would need to get sick like all the others.

Avery had found some very useful books from his family's library on creating untraceable spells and charms…books he was not supposed to know about. He and Tom had spent hours at night and on weekends creating the perfect charm to remove all the elder heads of house so his people could begin infiltrating the system and getting rid of the old blood prejudices and start implementing the new legislation. He looked forward to seeing what the new world looked like from his point of view.

When questioned, Avery said that he had plans to meet with a few potential brides over the summer in France and his father was really pushing for him to find one soon. Tom couldn't help but smirk into his glass of pumpkin juice. Avery was going to be there with him this summer helping insure that this first coup went off without a hitch. None of his other Knights knew about it and that was the point. The less they knew the more likely it would work. He just had to be a little bit more patient.

* * *

The ceremony had been boring and had taken longer than he would have liked. Tom had graduated top of his class with the highest amount of NEWT's in Hogwarts history. He was praised and toasted over and over until he thought he might be willing to turn back to the dark arts to rid himself of all of them. Dumbledore had had his arm around Tom as if he was a proud father and it had made Tom's very skin crawl. He had handled it as he had everything else thus far, with a warm smile and humbled appreciation of their words. It would not do to ruin his reputation or at least what they saw as his reputation.

His portkey had activated a few moments ago and he and Avery were wondering around Italy enjoying the ambience and gathering supplies for the next part of their journey. They spent several weeks holed up in their hotel rooms brewing. At the end of it all Avery had left Italy with enough polyjuice potion to imitate Tom for several months while Tom had virtually disappeared one night as Avery and supposedly gone to France to meet the first of his bridal options.

Now he was standing just inside the entrance to Nurmengard with the infamous Gellert Grindelwald. The old wizard had not been hard to talk to or convince once he read the hatred and loathing in Tom's mind for Dumbledore. What the older dark wizard had not expected was for a younger and less experienced wizard to take over his mind and body. The experience with HG had given Tom a whole new perspective on what he could do with magic and other magical beings and after a deal struck with a vampire during the summer between his 6th and 7th year, Tom had created a potion that made the Imperio curse impossible to resist. Even a master occlumencer would fall prey to the unforgivable if he was given a vial of the potion.

Tom had doused the megalomaniac the night before and since the potion had no other effect, when he took a sip to prove its safety he had also walked Grindelwald right into his hands. He had honestly not expected it to work but the wizard believed he was invincible and the lack of humility had been his downfall. Tom twirled the wand he had taken from Grinde in his own hands. The fabled Elder wand was now his by subterfuge and a bit of logical trickery and now as he waited for his first true victim to show his face, Tom couldn't help but smile a very sinister smile.

Tom allowed the duel to play out just as he hoped it would. He gave Grinde the command to fight Dumbledore with everything he had and it had been marvelous to watch. At one point he had thought that the crazy dictator would actually manage to kill his old Transfiguration teacher and had had to consider if he was okay with that or not. In the end it hadn't mattered as Dumbledore had defeated Grindewald. The sneaky wizard had also taken the transfigured wand and rolled it through his fingers with a twinkling look of glee.

The look of glee didn't last long. Once the crowd had dispersed and Dumbledore had locked Grindelwald up in one of the cells, he had been completely caught off guard when Tom had disarmed him with the real Elder wand and tied him down to a chair with both sticking charms and magical rope.

"Tom my boy what is the meaning of this?"

Sitting on the table top letting his anger simmer at the surface he met the old man's eyes and sneered at him in a way he had not been able to for the last two years.

"I am not your boy and I never have been. As for the meaning…well…I am protecting what is mine from you and yours. This world is going to have to deal with a lot of changes very soon but they will not be implemented or approved by you. Once everything is in place…they won't need you…we won't need you to do anything anymore. Since that is the case, I find I can go ahead with making a threat from a loved one very real."

The confusion and worry that hovered in Dumbles eyes made his heart ached. He knew in the end Hermione would not approve of him doing this when the wizard had not yet wronged them. But he couldn't allow him to continue forward to get to a point where he could interfere or wrong anyone. He had to be taken care of now. Knowing she would forgive him in the end, Tom flicked his wand and brought his bag to him. Pulling out a closed jar he set the bag back on the table and pulled the lid open.

"Tom whatever it is you think I did…I have not done so. I have done nothing but support you and champion you since your 6th year. I don't understand where this hatred is coming from but it shouldn't be directed at me."

He knew the expression faded from his face as he allowed his darker side to take over. He may not be Lord Voldemort and he was never willing to be the Lord Voldemort that Hermione had had to grow up with…but like he had told her before, he was never going to be a light wizard.

"You caused the love of my life to be bound to a maniac, tortured, beaten, and killed. You betrayed her when she was no longer of use to you and you tried to send her to her death without a single qualm. You used her and her friends as pawns in a war that children had no place in and you made her cry. No one is allowed to make my dove cry and get away with it."

Raising the Elder wand, Tom cast a silencing spell on him before letting the crucio sing in his veins and fling the bastard into silent agony. Counting the time and amount, he held Dumbledore under the spell for as many times and as long as Hermione had had to endure it that he knew of.

"If I could burn your core away I would. Sadly…it's not an option."

Waving his wand at the jar, one lemon drop after another flew through the air and down his throat as the old man continued to scream silently. Releasing the crucio he watched as Dumbledore tried to breathe only to lodge the candies and begin to choke. Ending the silencing spell, Tom watched as his eyes began to bug and water and his face turned red. His fingers twitched and scraped at the wood of the chair arms as he struggled to get free of his bindings. A few sparks of magic flew from his fingertips but Tom had been ready for the wandless magic and had shielded from it early on.

"It was a very forceful wish of hers that you die choking on your famous lemon drops, one I read in her mind right before she died and so here we are…I have the wand I needed to continue with my plans and you are going to die a very slow and painful death with the lemon drops lodged in your throat. Time for you to meet the maker you manipulative old bastard."

Pointing the wand at him one last time, Tom started singing in a low tone, a spell weaving from the tip of the Elder wand and wrapping around the wizard in front of him. The light was a white blue light that flickered and waved like the flames of a fire. As he began the spell weaving again the light poured into Dumbledore's eyes and mouth as it sank into his skin and his voice rang out in a cry of terror as the lemon drops burned away from the heat.

Continuing to sing the words, Tom watched as the same bright lights appeared under his skin and he reveled in the screams and hoarse cries that emitted from his enemy as he watched him go up in flames from the inside out the same way his Hermione had. As the last of the spell fell from his lips the flames went out and all that remained were the ashes still in the shape of the supposedly greatest wizard of the side of light. Only proved the world was full of sycophantic sheep.

Using a few sticking and levitations spells, Tom carefully moved the ashes to the just outside the door to Grindelwald's room. Opening the cell door he cast a few different spells at the helpless wizard before throwing a simple Avada at him. When the authorities came, they would find evidence that suggested Dumbledore had tried to steal Grindelwald's magic straight from his core and was punished for doing so.

Gathering his bag and making sure all evidence of his presence was erased, Tom opened his journal and drew a line through one of the goals in his list.

_Torture and Kill Dumbledore-use lemon drops and make sure to leave only ashes_

With a smile on his lips and a jaunty tune in his head, Tom took his leave of Austria and headed to Russia for his well-deserved apprenticeship. On his way he would secure the wand with the resurrection stone he had collected from his now dead Uncle. He had two of the three pieces he needed for his future plans. Thankfully he knew just where to find the invisibility cloak and would not even need it for some years to come. When he did…it would be right where it needed to be.


	26. Chapter 26-The Passing Years

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know after the crazy amount of posting I did last week you were all probably expecting a daily chapter or two this week as well. I admit that my insanity stemmed from my brain needing to get to the climax of the story there and get it out of my head. My brain is now a little bit mushy so I am letting it recoup and taking my time. Not to mention the fever to finish 'Storm' that hit me. **

**I admit I also have three other stories going that I am not posting until all are completely done. So though I will try to post an update every day, if I don't just know I am still writing...it just may not be on this particular one that day.**

**Hope you all enjoy this next bit of 'what is Tom doing now' and I will attempt to get my brain back on track so I can post every day until the end on this one too. **

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**P.S. I have not said it in a while but I don't own HP cause JKR does and M rating and all that other stuff I am supposed to say to stay out of trouble lol.**

* * *

Tom stood next to Lawrence Avery, Orion and Cygnus Black, and Talon Nott as Abraxas Malfoy was sworn into the seat of the Minister. Flashes from the press cameras were creating spots in his eyes as he held his proud smile and kept his posture straight and his aura calm and reassuring. He really did hate crowds but this was a necessity to make sure that his plans came to fruition. He only had a few months before he headed out on his next adventure to locate the great Nicolas Flamel.

As the last of the oath was spoken, the crowd cheered as their new Minister turned and gave a winning smile and a wave. Pulling his wife Ophelia into his arms, Abraxas stepped up to the podium and started the speech he and Tom had written and revised until it expressed exactly what they wanted to say.

"Ladies and Gentleman thank you for coming to support the Malfoy house on this grand day! It is good to see so many familiar and welcoming faces. As you all know, my colleagues and I have been researching and studying the muggleborn phenomenon since Grindewald was defeated and it was found that he and Dumbledore were secretly in a pact together to help bring about the fall of the muggleborns and the muggle world as a whole."

Tom watched the faces in the crowd, scanning surface thoughts to see if there were any outright rebellious ideas forming.

"In these past five years we have discovered that we were very wrong indeed. And coming from a legacy such as mine where purity of blood was of utmost importance, I can tell you that it was a hard potion to swallow. It seems that magic itself is trying to repair the damage we have done to it in our strict breeding. Our research shows that more squibs are being born every year to pureblood families and yet none are being born to any couples who have at least one half-blood or muggleborn partner."

Anyone he came across that he found thoughts starting to surface that went against his agenda he gave a subtle push to make their minds sway in the other direction…insuring his new platform for the Ministry would be welcome and celebrated.

"This information has helped us draw the conclusion that our strict laws and our bigotry towards muggleborns is not helping or protecting our society…but hurting it. As you all know my platform when running for Minister was a full reform of the archaic laws that do nothing but hurt and ostracize those who should feel welcomed in our midst. And so it is with a glad heart and a positive hope for the future that I take the office of Minister of Magic and ask you all to join me on this rise out of the dark ages and into an era of enlightenment."

The cheers of the crowd were a dull roar as everyone clapped and shouted their approval. Abraxas stood for pictures with the members of the Wizengamot and then with his ministerial staff which included Tom himself and several of the other Knights from their school days.

Though Tom would be starting as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this fall, he was listed as a consultant for the new Minister in affairs such as dark artifact research and handling, as well as on loan to Gringotts for any curse breaking they may have need of. After the untimely and surprising demise of Albus Dumbledore five years ago, Headmaster Dippet had been looking for replacements to cover the teaching staff. Tom knew that Minerva McGonagall has taken over teaching in Dumbles spot the year of his death and there had been a few teachers for DADA but none as proficient or as renowned as Tom himself.

When he had returned to England just last year, Headmaster Dippet had wasted no time securing him for the spot which only helped further his agenda in the end. He looked forward to being back in the castle and could only be patient as the years passed and he waited to be reunited with the love of his life.

Until then he would steer the masses to his way of thinking to make sure the world was ready for her return. Keeping that in mind, Tom shook several hands and he began yet another round of schmoozing the correct people in the correct positions while he had the chance.

* * *

"You come to me asking for longevity of your life with your aura streaked with dark magic. The gifts of the stone are only meant for those whose light shines through. Tell me why I should believe you are worthy of such a priceless boon."

"One day there will be a witch who will exceed and defy all expectation. She is the only light I am capable of. She is why I ask for your mercy and favor."

"Show me!"

Opening his mind, Tom allowed Nicolas to fall into his memories and into those that Hermione had shared with him about what he would become and how. Hours passed as they rode the twists and turns of his past and his possible future and the darkness that came from all he had suffered until the very moment of her death. Both sat in silence milking a headache and drinking tea as Flamel processed all he had seen before opening his eyes and looking once more at Tom.

"My boy you understand the ramifications of what you are asking correct? It can be a very lonely life if the elixir gives you more than you truly wanted and the one you love dies again before you do. The only way out at that point is to end your own life…and with the unknown aspects of the magic you could very well get stuck here as a ghost and never be able to join her."

Nodding his head, Tom sat back to ponder Flamel's words. He knew that he wanted to still be young of body as well as mind by the time Hermione returned but he didn't want to necessarily be stuck alive or as a ghost once she was gone. However, to achieve all he set out to do and in the manner in which he wanted the outcome to happen, he really had no other choice. He had researched for years only to find that extended youth only came one way that had been found in the wizarding world and that was the elixir found in the Philosopher's stone. He couldn't and wouldn't risk making any horcruxes this time around. He had no idea what even one might do to his sanity or his morality.

"I have Sir Nicolas and even after weighing the pros and cons I feel that it will be the only way to be what I need to be when she arrives. You have seen my memories of what I was to become and what would have happened to her if I had been allowed to continue on my original chosen path. Even the universe tried to set things right once I made my choice by taking away other threats such as Dumbledore. I was just as shocked as everyone else since he was one of my greatest advocates during school and someone I looked up to and trusted."

Taking a moment to compose his thoughts, Tom met Flamel's eyes and let his honesty shine through.

"She saved my life Sic Nic. She not only saved my life but she gave me my soul back before I even knew that I was going to lose it. I don't know how but she even gave me back the ability to love and she is the only one I will ever have in my heart. If I can't have her…I have no reason to stay on this Earth once the legislation is passed to protect her and others like her. You were the only option I had to achieve my goals and get the girl and I am begging you for your help. Please Sir Nicolas…"

"Very well Tom Riddle…I have loved and lost several times in my long life before I met my wife. I understand what it is to see and know that kind of love and be unable to live without it. It has been quite lonely since she passed and I wish every day that I had agreed to stop taking the elixir and faded with her. Now I must continue to wait for it to run its course again. I shall gift you with the drops needed to stay the age you are until she catches up to you…and I have a theory on why you can now love again after seeing your memories."

The glint of excitement in the old man's eyes made Tom perk up as well. He had read and researched until his brain was mush from all he had taken in and still did not know what had broken the curse that held him from his ability to love. Sitting forward with his full attention given to Flamel, he waited.

"The theory…which I would say was proven by you…is that when a pregnancy happens due to a love potion or spell that forces one partners compliance, the resulting child is unable to ever feel love. The act of giving a potion like this or casting a spell to force someone to love you is a very selfish thing. You are not showing any care for the other person but only a love for yourself. I think that also contributes to how the child grows. You yourself said you were only worried about your life, your plans, your wants…correct?"

At his nod, Flamel smiled and nodded as if agreeing with himself.

"Everyone had the ability to love but the selfish nature of such acts curses the offspring to be unable to feel or access that love. I think after hearing how your father treated you when you went to see him that it also keeps the forced partner from ever being able to feel love for said child…but that is just a theory of my own. Sorry…I sometimes get sidetracked in my thinking…so back to point! You had no idea what was going to happen when you grabbed on to your future self. By the time travel theory it would cause a paradox and we all know time, no matter if magic is involved or science, will right itself at a paradox."

Nodding again to show he was following, Tom rested his elbows on his knees and put his chin on his hand, enraptured by the brilliant mind that was Nicolas Flamel.

"For time to fix itself it had to put to right what was wrong. My theory is that the journal, though it had his split soul piece inside, was technically yours first. So since you were there it counted the moment as being in your time line. You add that horcruxes are an unnatural abomination to not only time but magic and death and well you have three very powerful forces working together to right a very grievous wrong. I think it utterly destroyed him to set the time line and the natural order to rights."

"Knowing it could have been you that were destroyed and still willingly grabbing him to try to save the woman you knew you loved deep inside…I think that act of selflessness was the curses undoing. Usually the only way to settle a selfish score is to do something truly unselfish…and you did my boy. With a curse that forces you to care only about yourself and the inability to feel any form of love, you willing tried to sacrifice yourself for another…for your Hermione. In that moment you liberated yourself from your mother's curse and the love you felt was allowed its freedom."

Tom's eyes widened at that theory. It made perfect sense and had been so simple an idea, it had never crossed his mind. Hermione had given him the tools to his own deliverance by loving him and gaining his love in return…but he had been the one to act on a love he could not feel and had essentially gained sovereignty over his own heart. Giving Flamel a beaming smile Tom couldn't help it as the laughter bubbled up from his very core and poured out of his mouth in a joyful sound.

Flamel slowly made his way over to a space on the wall and with some complicated looking incantations, the paneling parted to reveal the stone sitting in a clawed pedestal. With shaking hands he took it out and beckoned Tom closer. Having him lean on the bench nearby so he was shorter than Flamel he was instructed to open his mouth and hold his tongue out. As he did as asked he watched Flamel run his thumb over the top of the stone and realized it was a good thing he had decided to ask and not take…the stone was keyed to Flamel's magical signature.

Waving his wand to steady his hands, Flamel brought the stone above Tom's mouth and with slow and precise movements he tipped five very small drops of the ruby liquid on to his tongue. As he swallowed he felt the warmth of the magic in the elixir coat his mouth, his throat, and then run through his entire body until there was not a single part of his it did not saturate.

"It is done my boy. Do take care to not die accidentally while that magic is active or you _will_ be stuck as a ghost. One drop affords you roughly ten years without aging…give or take."

"How is it give or take? Shouldn't it be exact since its magic?"

Flamel chuckled as he reset the stone in its holder and resealed the wards and spells for its containment.

"At first yes…it is pretty precise. But your body starts to gain an immunity of sorts the longer you take it. That is why I am so very old in body now. I have taken it for over 600 years and though I have not aged as I should…obviously…I have aged little by little until I was no longer a young man. By my studies from myself and my wife, I would hypothesize that you have exactly 50 years before you start to age again. However, I would never say that is one hundred percent correct because I would hate to have lied to you unintentionally."

"That makes perfect sense. Thank you again Sir Nicolas…there is nothing in this world I could ever do or say to show you how appreciative I am of what you have given me."

The smile that came to the wizards face had Tom lifting his eyebrow is question.

"Actually my dear Tom…there is. Do as you have set forth to do. Mold the wizarding world into one where a Dark Lord like Grindewald or what you would have become has no place to set roots and grow. Bring about this age of enlightenment and promise me one more thing and I will consider us even."

"As long as it does not hinder or go against my plans…anything."

"When I die I will leave you instructions on how to get to the stone and I want you to guard it and the secrets it holds. I cannot risk it falling into the hands of someone less worthy of its gift. I would have originally entrusted it to Dumbledore but it seems my reading of his character was completely incorrect. I can feel that you lean more to the darkness by nature but I can also feel your determination to be a good wizard for your witch. When she is born I want you to entrust it to her once she is of age if she returns to you as she used to be."

Carefully taking the hand held out to him, Tom nodded his head as the magic sealed the agreement in striped of blue and white, leaving small lines long his skin for a moment before those two faded.

With a promise to write and a genuine farewell to Flamel, Tom took his leave to head back to London and the political pitfalls that he and his knights were working through as Minister Malfoy changed and reformed the entire structure of their world to include all magical beings in fairness and with just laws and consequences. He had a meeting tomorrow with the Master vampire to start the legislation for the vampire clans' rights under the new ministry.


	27. Chapter 27-Righting a Wrong

**Greetings!**

**It seems after taking lunch that my brain really wanted to do this particular chapter. The first steps of redemption have been completed. Now my coven can stop wanting to hang me by my toes or dump me in a very deep river lol.**

**I had not planned on posting this but my coven witch Claw-baby had already read 26 and was so happy with the fluff and upbeat vibes that she was excited to get to this one. I may also have dropped a hint on what this one was about. So here you go Claw! Hope you enjoy.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom stood just outside the worn front door of the shabby little house on Spinner's End. The entire town of Cokeworth smelled like the dirty river nearby and the slow deterioration of the neighborhood was evident in the broken street lamps and many deserted homes. Several thug-looking fellows had considered giving him and his companions' grief but seemed to realize that might not be the best idea in the end.

He had brought his most trusted with him today and he had to admit that Avery and Cygnus looked quite distinguished in their new muggle suits and ties. Over the past fifteen years Minister Malfoy had been able to implement all the changes that Tom has proposed from the beginning.

Muggleborns were now found before their eleventh birthday and brought into the magical world through a sponsor family. The sponsor family's job was to introduce the child and their parents to the magical world and start to teach the child the culture of being a witch or wizard. The sponsor was also responsible for the muggleborns health and well-being. If it looked like the muggle parents were not going to embrace or support the new witch or wizard, steps were taken to place the muggleborn with the sponsor family so they could start their magical life with acceptance and confidence.

Changes had also been made to magical creature laws such as laws governing the werewolf packs, vampire clans, and others such as the fae, centaurs, and house elves. Education was also implemented to teach young witches and wizards the appropriate ways to deal with each culture so as not to offend any of the other magical beings. This particular education went hand in hand with learning about the muggle world and the interesting inventions and ideas that came about and basic skills such as mathematics, writing, and sciences…including muggle sciences like chemistry and biology.

A school had been opened just five years ago after much debate and fund raising that brought all the magical children that would enter Hogwarts or any of the other magical schools together to learn what they were now calling their own primary school. No more isolation of rich and poor families to be left to homeschool their own but a school designed to promote unity through education and socialization early on. So far it seemed to be working well as those who had formed friendships had carried over at eleven in Hogwarts…regardless of house affiliation.

There were many others, both large and small, that had been passed and the magical community was more unified and structured than it had ever been. They had also weeded out a lot of the corruption inside the older families and the ministry using an untraceable potion designed by Tom himself with Abraxas' help. Once administered, the drinker would come down with what looked like a common cold. When pepper up was introduced to the system the 'cold' would change and mutate into a different strain of one of three magical diseases. The mutation was always different depending on the genetic coding of the person infected and was never contagious to other people.

By the time anyone realized that the disease was not curable by easy house hold potion remedies it was normally too late and the witch or wizard would expire before help could be had. They had made sure to have tiny outbreaks happen each time the older members met in a social setting until there were none left. Abraxas' father had been the first to go as he had attempted to use his son's new position for his own gain. From there it had trickled down through the pureblood houses to rid them all of the pureblood rhetoric and brings the sacred twenty-eight into the new age first.

The meaning and prestige behind the sacred twenty-eight had changed and had become even more of a feather in their hat. Those with long histories of helping build and protect the magical community, as well as those who had upheld the cultural views for so long were seen as guiding lights for those who had lost their way. Families like the Malfoy's, Black's, Avery's, Carrow's and so on were sought out to help teach the children of the newer or less informed families the correct etiquette when communicating in the magical world.

Of course there had been a few more personal changes that Tom had made as the years had passed. When Cygnus' first born daughter had been presented to him, he had had to hold tightly to his control when he had heard her name. The child, who was now fourteen, had no idea how close to death she had been in that moment. As it was Bellatrix seemed to be a very beautiful and cunning girl and as long as she kept her wits about her and followed the new regime, she would continue to be allowed to breathe. If it ever looked like she was rebelling against her father's ideals and reverting to the pureblood agenda her mother sometimes let slip…it would be her last day.

That brought him to his little jaunt out today. He had a very large wrong to right and he planned to start early instead of letting this particular one continue on its original course. Straightening his tie and cuff links one more time he raised his hand and gave three firm knocks to the door. The yelling that followed his announcement that he was at their door caused him to frown in disgust.

The door opened to reveal a very small and obviously underfed boy whose clothing and hair were dirty and unkempt and whose eyes already held the wariness of the abused. His anger spiking, Tom hide it behind his walls as he gave the young Severus Snape a warm and caring smile.

"Hello…My name is Tom Riddle little Severus. I am here to speak to your father. Is he home?"

The fearful nod made him tighten his grip on the decorative cane Abraxas had had made for him before he bent down so he was eye level with the child.

"Have no fear little one. I am here to make it all better…I promise. May I come in?"

His eyes nervously shifting back and forth from Tom to behind him, Severus shook his head no and looked terrified to say anything at all. Knowing this was not going to be something the young boy could handle, Tom gave him a wink and gently took his hand to pull him outside of the house. Taking out a lollipop he handed it to the boy and had him sit on the steps.

"I want you to stay out here while my associates and I go inside and talk to your father and mother. No matter what you hear, I want you to stay right here and when this is all over you will be going with me to a new much nicer house where a family will take extra good care of you. Does that sound nice?"

His eyes widening in fearful hope he nodded and opened the wrapper, putting the candy in his mouth. Placing a gentle hand on his head before standing, Tom let his calm mask slid away as he and his two friends entered the dirty, run down home of his dove's beloved future potion's professor. The place was small and it was obvious with the lack of work it was going downhill fast. Careful not to touch anything at all, Tom made his way down the hall and into the living area.

Sitting in a thread bare chair with a beer in hand was the obvious muggle father. Though Tom had gotten rid of his original aversion to muggles…this was one of the ones of the species that really needed to be put down in order to further the rest of them. However, he was going to do his best to play by HG's rules if he could. The moment the man noticed them he was on his feet, his posture menacing and promising violence.

"Who the fuck do you think you are and why are you in my house? Get in here you little waste of space freak!"

Tom could hear the tap, tap, tap of little feet as the boy, conditioned already to answer to his father's threatening voice, came running for the living room. Giving Avery a look he kept his eye on the drunk as his second in command caught the boy as he came running by and kept him a safe distance from his abusive parent.

"Unhand the little shit before I show you how much of a mistake you made barging into my house you suit wearing pansy."

"Enough!"

He only raised his voice a tiny bit but it was enough to have poor Severus shaking in Avery's arms and his father's face turning a molten shade of red. A thin woman with the same sharp angles to her face and stringy black hair entered the room. Her fearful eyes and split lip told him all that he needed to know and with a sneer he flicked just his finger at the drunken idiot.

"You will sit down and shut up while I talk!"

With the word came action due to his magic and within seconds Tobias Snape was back in his chair, stuck and unable to get up, and silenced. His mouth opened to rage only to realize he had no voice but his eyes said it all. The stupid man was promising death as if he could ever stand to a wizard of Tom's caliber.

"Mrs. Snape…or would you prefer Miss Prince?"

Eileen's head snapped up to look at him and taking in his attire again she seemed to be utterly confused.

"My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. I am sure you have not heard of me as I have been informed that your useless husband keeps you locked from your wand and the wizarding world as a whole. I am a Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as well as a curse breaker for Gringott's and an associate and good friend to the Minister of Magic Abraxas Malfoy."

Her eyes widened with each title he gave and she seemed to sink into herself more as she took him in with new eyes and then looked around her shabby home.

"Please…do not be ashamed. Your family disobeyed our new laws and customs and forced you to run from a home and marriage you did not want. I do not blame you for trying to get away from such hate and prejudice. Your parents have been charged with several crimes against the new legislation and as they have no other living child, their assets have now become yours…should you want them. However, due to the abuse of your son, who is now under the protection of the Ministry as he falls under the category of a half-blood being raised as a muggle, in order to claim this title, the estate, and keep your son, you will need to leave your husband behind."

For a moment her eyes were filled with terror until she realized Tobias was struggling to get up but was unable to do so.

"He will never be able to harm either of you ever again so long as you leave here with us today. Severus will be leaving no matter your decision…either as your son or as a ward of the magical state. You will be brought back in under probation during which time you will go through several classes to be informed and educated about the new era of law we live under and how best the Prince line can thrive and be of service."

"Should you agree to these terms, my associates and I will help you gather whatever belongings you want to take with you and we will get you and your son out of this filthy hovel! We will have a team of obliviators come in behind us and sweep the entire neighborhood to be sure no one questions your absence once you are gone. We will modify Tobias' memories so that he forgets about your magic and he thinks you left him. We will also implant a subliminal command so that if he ever decides to come looking for you or your son, he will forget immediately what he was going to do."

Bending down to Severus who was looking at him as if he were a god, he gave him a soft smile and gestured for him to come over. Avery released the boy and he walked on almost silent feet until he was eye to eye with Tom.

"Severus…I want you to go upstairs and grab whatever you wish to keep from your room. Do not worry about clothing and such as we will be buying you an entire new wardrobe as soon as we get you settled into your new home. Can you do that for me?"

His nod was jerky before he seemed to find his voice.

"Yes Sir Mr. Riddle."

"That's a lad…go on."

Giving him a gentle push in the correct direction, he was amazed to hear such a thick accent considering the man he knew had learned to tame it until he blended with the others around him.

"I will need your choice by the time he returns Miss Prince."

Wringing her hands, Eileen seemed to argue with herself for a moment before speaking.

"I won't have to worry about my father getting released?"

"No…you will not have to worry. If I am not mistaken the penalty for treason is death. If by chance he does go free…which I assure you is very unlikely, I will set you and Severus up in one of the Riddle estates with a stipend that will see you very comfortable. All I ask is that you allow one of my own trusted colleagues to help teach and raise Severus. I have someone who showed me the future and he is going to be very important and very renowned when he gets older. I want to make sure he sees his full potential."

Eileen's eyes lit up at that and without further questioning she hurried off to go gather her things. Once she was out of the room, he put up a silencing ward and stepped closer to Tobias Snape.

"Let me make myself perfectly clear to you, you filthy excuse for a man. I do not condone nor support abuse of a woman or a child. It only proves how weak and utterly impotent a man is. As of today, you no longer have a wife or a son. I plan to make sure that your mind is altered so you can never tell a soul about their magic or where they went but I am going to let you keep the knowledge that they are now rich beyond imagining and you lost any chance to touch that money because you were an abusive, worthless drunk. A man is measured by what he owns and how he takes care of what he owns. You have nothing now and you didn't take care of what you had which makes you less than nothing."

Placing his finger against his arm Tom watches as the altered crucio he created skates along the nerves of the man as his mouth issues a silent scream. Pulling back and letting the magic fade he sneers at Tobias as the smell of urine meets his nose.

"Come near them again in any way and I will personally come back for a visit. And I can assure you that you will not be breathing the next time."

Knowing it was one of the most insulting things he could do to a muggle, Tom spit in his face before turning his back on him.

It didn't take long for Cygnus to contact the Minister and for the obliviator to show up. As he escorted Eileen and Severus out of the house he felt that warmth surround his chest again. He had managed to find and save someone she respected and loved in her own Hermione way. He could not wait for her to be in his arms again so he could tell her.


	28. Chapter 28-The Good Son

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I admit I was not sure I would get this posted today. My brain was not at all in the writer mood...or so I thought. And then I started to write just to see and low and behold I was incorrect...Tom was sitting under the surface of my tiredness just waiting on me to stop lollygagging around lol.**

**So here is another update for my lovely 'Secret' readers. I hope you enjoy it as it was not planned at all but a bit of impromptu scene that came out of nowhere and ended up a full chapter.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

"Good Severus. You almost had it that time. Make sure you stay on the balls of your feet…it helps you to dodge and turn faster."

Reaching down Tom pulled a now fifteen year old Severus to his feet. The boy was as tall as he was now but still had not filled out completely. He appeared gangly and was actually quite thin but not for lack of trying. It turned out the young half-blood had quite the metabolism and with his growth spurts happening so quickly he had not had time to eat enough to catch up.

Tom could say he had never been prouder of another child in his entire life. Though Severus was not his own son…he might as well have been at this point. He oversaw all of his classes, grades, school work, extracurricular activities, as well as his out of school functions, appearances, and needs. Tom knew of every crush Severus had suffered through, every frustration he had dealt with, and every achievement that had given him a sense of pride. In essence Severus had needed a father figure and somehow Tom had fallen into the role without any effort on his part.

"It's always when I try to hold the shield and cast offensively that I stumble. It shouldn't be that hard to get. It's quite irritating if I'm being honest."

The smile Tom gave him was one of rueful understanding.

"I know exactly how you feel. Every time I couldn't master something new in a few days I would get quite frustrated myself. I can assure you Severus, this truly is a hard task I am teaching you and one not many can learn and master. I have no doubt by the time you return to school in September that you will have this down, as well as wandless magic. You have already mastered wordless magic and occlumency. And we will start fine tuning and honing your legilimency during the holiday break. Those marauders don't stand a chance against you and your sentry this year."

"I still have no idea why Black seems to hate me so much. I run in the same circles and you are colleagues with his father and mother. Yet on the very first day I was suddenly just the enemy that had to be eviscerated! It's utterly childish is what it is."

His anger had his old Cokeworth accent slipping out and Tom could not help but smile as he listened to the boy rant and rave about Black, Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew as he began to fire small spells his way that he deflected with ease.

"I'm pretty sure it has to do with the fact that I am closer to you than I am to him and Orion took that hard that his eldest son was unable to gain my attention and favor the way that you and Regulus did. Sirius has always chaffed against the rules in that house and the strict regime that Orion runs and when his rebellious nature turned me away it only made it worse. As I have no children yet and I see you as sort of a surrogate son, I think his jealousy rules his entire being and since he can't take that out on me or Regulus…he targets you."

Picking up his speed and difficulty, Tom couldn't help but preen in fatherly pride as Severus cast and held a shield charm even as he returned offensive spells and kept up the conversation. The boy was in his head too much and needed the distraction of talking in order to get over his initial frustrations with the new technique. Tom was sure his assessment of having mastered it by the school year may have been too long of a guess. He gave it a week tops now.

"It would be fine if they did not seem to always know where I am at all times. I still have no idea how they manage that and it gets beyond frustrating to have to keep my guard up all day long when I am not in the common room."

"Do you want me to say something to Orion?"

Dodging a spell and reflecting another, Severus grunted with the effort before gaining his balance again and whirling to cast two spells back to back at Tom in retaliation.

"No…that will only make it worse in the end. Not to mention after the fiasco with Lily, I would prefer to just stay as far away from all of them as I can."

"I am sorry that she turned out to be such an easily led sheep my boy. I know you really liked her and I assure you that I had words with her mother and father about the awful names she called you. I do not wish for you to hold such a grudge in your heart but I understand not forgiving her for such harsh words."

The duel paused as the sadness filled Severus eyes again. Tom slid his wand into his sleeve as he walked over to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. He was always so grateful that Hermione had given him the ability to care for other people and that he had been able to get to Severus in time to save him from being afraid of someone else's touch. Severus gave him a hug back and as the two separated, Tom decided it was time to start explaining things to him.

"Come Severus…that is enough for today. You were holding the shield and casting that last round perfectly."

The surprise that crossed his face made Tom smile as the boy realized he had been after all.

"I have some thing I want to tell you and I think this calls for some fire whiskey and dinner after."

Leaving the practice room and winding his way through the hallways of Prince Manor, Tom took a seat in his favorite chair in the library and called his house elf Bassi to get them a bottle of Ogden's finest and two glasses. Once both had a nice pouring of the honey colored liquid, Tom sat back and met Severus' eyes.

"What I am about to tell you is going to be hard to take. I promised you from a young age I would never hide things from you or lie to you. I do not count what I am about to tell you as hidden information as much as you needed to be ready and old enough. I think we have come to that moment. If at any time you decide you do not want to know any of what I am telling you just say so and I will take it from your memories and never bring it up again."

The confusion and curiosity fought for supremacy in Severus' eyes as he nodded his head once and waited for Tom to continue.

"I knew of you before you were ever born. As a matter of fact, I knew all about you and what you would become."

Severus nodded after taking a sip of his drink and coughing slightly at the burn as it rolled down his throat.

"Yes…Mother said a seer told you about me…that I was going to be important or special or something."

His smile was soft as he nodded.

"That is what I told you mother so she would come with us and not make me take you away from her. Now I will tell you the entire truth. A seer is someone with the power to see the future. In a way the girl who told me about you could have been seen as a seer though she wasn't. She was just a very powerful, very brave, and utterly irreplaceable witch. She came to me in a magical journal when I was eleven…right before I started Hogwarts. At the time I was cursed because of my mother whom you already know about."

Severus nodded again and set his glass down, his attention fully on Tom as he weaved his story. It was one of the things he adored about the boy…he had the same intense need for knowledge as Hermione did and he was never afraid to show it.

"Over the years she taught me many things about the wizarding world and about friendship and why what I was doing was wrong. From the very beginning I knew she was from the future and had been sent to either save me from becoming the monster she knew or kill me before I could. She never lied to me or hid anything from me about her mission. And yes before you ask, she was able to prove it to me without a shadow of a doubt."

His teeth make a clicking sound as he snapped his lips closed at that and Tom couldn't help but chuckle. For all the distance he held himself at around other people, Severus cared very much if someone tried to harm or go after him and it was nice to have someone else besides Avery who cared that much for him.

"Needless to say, she and I became very close over the years and somewhere in there not only did she fall in love with me but I fell in love with her. I was not able to truly feel it but I knew it was there. Her health and safety became more important than my ambitions or need for immortality or world domination. She was my light and my purpose and I would have done anything to see her smile."

Sitting back as the old ache of her loss wrapped around his heart and brought a sheen to his eyes, Tom looked away from Severus and stared into the unlit fireplace.

"I found a way to use the time magic on the journal and a blood ritual Abraxas found for me to send my own soul through the book and for a while exchange it for Abraxas future grandsons'. I was able to truly talk to her face to face instead of in a dream like state that we normally used. I could touch her and taste her, my beautiful witch. During a few of these episodes I met one of her Professors. He was a very bitter, angry man and when he realized it was me in a student's body, he called me his lord and dropped to one knee. Not something I am proud of these days."

Turning his eyes back to Severus he let him see the pain he was feeling.

"That man was you. He was protective of her which at the time made my jealousy flare. I did not like any other man around my dove…not even her teacher. After that she told me all about you. She told me that you had an abusive father and a shit childhood. That you had your heart broken by the love of your life and in revenge for the pain she and her friends caused you joined with my future self…this dark lord…against the light and their soldiers…a few of them being Potter, Black, and Lupin."

The eyebrows on his face rose in surprise as Severus leaned forward and placed his hand on Tom's forearm in support. He had never seen his mentor show sadness or pain and never would have thought he would ever see tears in his eyes. He didn't like the way that made him feel.

"I learned that you were a brilliant and renowned Potions Master with several patents under your name for potions you had created or revised to make better and that you were her safety net and her handler while she was on the mission to save me. I have memories I will show you so you get the whole story and I will let you make your mind up from there but I can tell you that the master you served…that future me…I was unsalvageable. I had split my soul many times and what humanity I may have been born with I had burned out of me long before her birth."

One tear fell and he reached up to brush it away, used to being able to cry now and unashamed of it in the least.

"She was captured by this Dark Lord during my fifth year I believe it was. She was going into her sixth on her time line. I had almost caught up to her in age and our relationship had bloomed. It seemed my memories were transferring to him as well and he suddenly took an unhealthy interest in finding her. A moment happened that made it impossible for her to flee. Due to other things I had done in the past, you were bound by an unbreakable vow to a man just as manipulative as I but parading as the leader of the light. He ordered you to take her to me and if you had refused you would have died. She cared for you…loved you as her mentor and friend and she was the type that would have rather died then let you be hurt for her. She went willingly with you and in that awful meeting, his jealousy…my jealousy…"

His voice cracked as he remembered her memories and the pain that infused his very soul then and now from what he had done.

"You had gone to check on her…comfort her…thinking she was alone. She wasn't and when that monster's temper flamed out of control, he made her hold his wand and when she wouldn't kill you he took her hand and pushed his magic through her and into his wand to kill you himself. Through her eyes I watched you die and I felt a piece of her very soul wither and die with you. I swore right then and there that if I did nothing else to change the past…I would not only save you from such a fate but that I would make sure your life was what she would have wanted it to be…happy, filled with love and laughter and light…and that you would be able to meet your potential without the other bullshite."

"This girl…your dove…stopped you from becoming the next Grindelwald or something much worse and because of that it saved my life and who knows how many others?"

He could only manage a nod as his pain had lodged itself in his throat.

"And you waited to tell me until I was older due to the nature of the secrets?"

Again a nod.

"Were you worried I would hate you or see the death as a betrayal due to what Black and Potter and Lily did to me?"

Tom looked away before looking back at him.

"I was worried that with the anger you still have deep inside that you might decide to hate me for having stepped in and taken over your life because of facts I knew that had yet to pass. I was worried you would see what we have now as some sort of lie because I knew things I should not have known. As I said before…I have come to care for you deeply Severus and I have lost more than I can take as it is. I don't want to lose you as well but I felt like if I wasn't open and honest with you and you found out later that I would lose you for sure. I know I didn't do it but the pain and guilt of that has left its mark and I want nothing more than to make sure your life is everything it can possibly be now…at first to make up for hurting and killing a future you…but now it's just because I see you as mine and to deny you any part of the world is not in my nature."

"I am also still just dark enough to not be on the side of the light and if Black or Potter push things too far, I will make them see the error of their ways in a manner that would be frowned upon by most of the wizarding world. You are old enough now that I need you to know who I am truly am through and through so that I can begin teaching you how to be who you are underneath it all. I have waited years for this moment and I have several more to wait before the love of my eternity is even born let alone old enough to be in my arms. Avery is my most trusted friend and a brother to me but I want an heir…a son who knows all about me, can learn everything I have to teach, and will be willing to protect my heart when she is born until I am allowed to do so myself."

"And you have these memories that will help me understand all of this?"

"I do."

"Is the position of your heir one in agreement only?"

"If you would allow, I would like to adopt you fully so that you will carry the Riddle and Prince names. Prince would come first as the name has more prestige and power in the wizarding world but my name would let people know just how important you are to me."

"If you aren't this Dark Lord anymore…does it really have that much bearing?"

The smirk he gave Severus was full of the darkness he kept well hidden behind his shields and he watched as the boys eyes grew large in surprise and intrigue.

"I assure you Severus…no one…not even the Minister wants to piss me off! It didn't work out very well for the Great Albus Dumbledore either."

He watched the darkness Severus always tried to fight seep into his eyes too as he sat up straighter.

"Show me…Father."

With a wave of his hand the pensive floated over and set on the table between them. Beginning to extract the memories in time line order he called for Bassi to bring them dinner in a few hours. It was about to be a long, long night.


	29. Chapter 29-When One Door Closes

**Greetings my lovelies!**

**I was not sure I was going to write today but once I got settled at work, I decided to go ahead and post an update for all my favorite people here on fanfiction. This one will be one of the only ones that does not involve Tom at all but as I promised my coven redemption chapters for breaking our coven rules, this one was a must lol.**

**I think there may be one more chapter before our favorite little bookworm returns to the story...maybe. She could be back next chapter...who knows. I also still have two coven members to add to the story. I know where I am putting them but have no decided how I plan to write it. Should be fun to figure out on this end lol.**

**Hope you all enjoy this last little bit of fluffy for our favorite dark potions master as I continue to work on more of my 100 titles challenge prompt that my coven and I are doing together. Once it is all ready to go and the first story is posted, I will provide a link for any who are interested. If you wish to go read the profile now and find out what is going on, you can find it under my favorite authors list as 'Priestesses of Hiss'. We have the profile all set up and ready to go.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**P.S. This chapter is for Moon who deserves some soft Severus looks after all her hard work the last few weeks. Hugs and Coven love!**

* * *

"This is getting a bit tedious don't you think? I could care less if you two are dating Potter as I have nothing to do with her or any of you at all. Do yourself a favor and walk away now."

James Potter and Sirius Black laughed at his menacing tone and with glee Peter Pettigrew joined in. Remus Lupin looked like he didn't really want to be there at all and now that Severus had some of his old memories back, he knew why. Though Tom had told him that if he ended up in trouble for defending himself he would not be in trouble at home, he would still have rather taken the high road and been able to walk away from them. But he knew they were never going to let that happen.

"Is that a threat Snivelus? How about you do us all a favor and drop out so we don't have to look at your ugly face anymore."

The laughter continued as he deflected a stinging hex from Potter and shielded from who knows what kind of spell from Black. A slight flash behind them caught his eye and as Peter and Remus fell over backwards from what looked like a stunner, Severus couldn't help it as his mouth dropped open slightly at the sight coming around the other two.

He would recognize her face anywhere but only in the general sense. The rest of her was nothing like what his mind tried to call up. Her hair, which was a rich, smokey dark auburn highlighted beautifully from the sun and hung down her back and along her arms in waves. She had grown only a little from when he had last seen her at eleven and she couldn't be more than a few inches or so over five feet. Her face had changed enough to now that the softness of childhood had faded and in its place was the face of a sophisticated and beautiful woman. Though she was small in stature, her curves were voluptuous and made his mouth water as he was sure it had any boy here who had laid eyes on her.

As she walked towards him twirling her wand in her hand, her eyes held a wealth of knowledge and amusement, eyes that reminded him of the sky near Prince Manor just before the sun was swallowed up on the horizon. The grey color she had inherited from a Malfoy ancestor and had a calming effect on him that he had never understood. For a moment he forgot to breathe as he stared into them. Swaying her hips which caught the eyes of the two Gryffindors as well, she sauntered up to him and turned to face his enemies, cocking her hip as she settled in against him.

"It seems not only are Gryffindors rash, impulsive, and utterly banal…they are also ignorant of the idea of a fair and just duel or fight…typical."

For a moment Severus couldn't seem to find his tongue but as she glanced up at him with a warm smile, his brain caught back up to him and he gave her a shy smile from behind the hair that had fallen in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"It is good to see you again Acanthara...Moon. What are you doing here?"

"Yeah Avery! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in France at Beauxbatons with the rest of your snobby friends?"

Rolling her eyes she turned her face back to glare at Potter and Black before speaking.

"If you must know mutt…my father decided it was time I came back to England and got to know the wizard he wishes to see his only daughter marry in the future. And since I was missing not only my family but Severus as well, I agreed that he was correct. And at this very moment, I am evening out the odds since it seems you four like to gang up on Slytherins…just like a pack of rapid dogs."

Potter scoffed at her but Black seemed to rethink attacking Snivelus right at that moment.

"You're a girl...what do you think you could possibly do to even the odds?"

"Prongs…"

The laughter that sounded from Potter was so loud he drowned out the warning tone in Black's voice. Both Severus and Acanthara shifted just slightly so that they were facing the two combatants but had their backs turned towards one another, wands at the ready.

"James…maybe we should let this go for another day."

"Why? She is just a witch. We all know they are taught house hold charms and beauty spells. What is she going to do…clean our shoes and press our clothes for us?"

"That one is mine!"

"It is a wizard's right to honor and to defend his lady from insult. However, in this moment I think it would be more enjoyable to have you teach him a lesson in manners so I concede his obliteration to you."

"Does that mean you are okay with my father trying to match us for betrothal?"

Ignoring the quiet debate happening across from them, Severus looked down at Acanthara Avery again and gave her a heated look.

"My lady…the gods themselves would have to take me off this Earth before I let your father give you to anyone else now. I always admired your power and brilliance and I enjoyed our time growing up together. I have missed you these last four years as well and I am happier than I can express at having you home. If you choose me as your future, I would be a blessed wizard and I will spend the rest of my life worshiping you for the witch that you are."

His cheeks tinted slightly as he talked but Severus made sure this time to let his thoughts be known and crystal clear. The smile that graced her features melted a little bit of the ball of cold rage he kept buried in his chest. Completely forgetting about why he was standing here in the first place, Severus turned to face her and gently ran his thumb down her cheek and over her bottom lip. Meeting her eyes he let the words roll up from his heart to spill over them in his deep baritone voice and his sinfully dark magic.

"Lady Acanthara Rayne Avery, I stand here before you and pledge my heart, my soul, my future to you. Through the ancient magic I proclaim my intention to court you properly and to combine our families in the sacred bonds of marriage. Do you accept my offer?"

Holding his hand palm up, Severus kept his eyes on hers. Trembling slightly as her soft palm met his, he gently ran his thumb over her fingers as she spoke.

"Lord Severus Riddle Prince, I stand here before you and pledge my heart, my soul, my future to you. Through the ancient magic I accept your intention to court me properly and to combine our families in the sacred bonds of marriage."

Severus felt the weight of their words and proclamation settle over them with a warm pulse of magic. He had no doubt her father and his were going to be notified very shortly and he looked forward to presenting his fiancé to his father, the entire school and world. He had truly started to feel like he would never find someone who would look at him and want only him…he was so very thankful to be wrong.

Leaning down he gently placed his lips to hers to seal the magic. He felt rather than saw a band form on her finger and as they drew back both looked down to see the Prince family ring on her left ring finger. Their engagement now solidified in magic, he couldn't help but smile as he kissed her one more time.

The feel of magic flying his way brought him back to the issue at hand and with a casual flick of his wand he shielded both himself and his lady before breaking the kiss to turn his now darkening eyes to the wizard who dared try to attack them while they were busy. He wasn't sure how much of his anger or his darkness he let show but it was enough to have Sirius Black swallow almost audibly this time.

"That was the last time you are going to ever considering attacking me when my proverbial back is turned Potter. Black…decide now…end the feud on your end immediately or face my wrath as well. This ends today."

Looking back and forth between his best friend and the boy he grew up hating, Sirius knew it was time to start listening to and honoring his father's wishes. The world was ever changing and if he and James did not get on board…they were going to be left behind.

"He's right Prongs. It's time to let this stupid feud go and start thinking about the future. Neither you nor I are going to be able to get jobs or progress after school if we keep attacking Lord Riddle's son. Even my father is worried about my future now after all this time. If Sniv…Severus is willing to let it go right now and move on with a clean slate…we should really consider taking that offer."

"What the hell are you talking about Padfoot? There is nothing he can do to stop us from doing whatever we want when we graduate. He is just a greasy, ugly, slimy Slytherin snake!"

"Actually you four-eyed, unintelligent piece of thresal dung, his father is good friends with the Minister of Magic, as well as the Heads of the DoM, MLE, RCMC, and the IMC. Any job you may want in the Ministry can and will be blocked by any one of them if you continue on this path of idiocy _Potter._"

The way Moon sneered his nemesis' name made him slightly hard and Severus shifted to adjust the best he could.

"My godfather and the son of Lord Riddle's mentor and master is the lead curse breaker for Gringott's and well respected with the goblin nation. One word and you will find yourself having trouble banking anywhere in the wizarding world. And my own father is a well-respected business man and Lord Riddle's best friend. If I ask him to spread the word within his circles…you will find that trying to do business with or find a job within the business world is going to be very difficult indeed. The Potter fortune is made through your families companies…companies that all run due to my father's associates. Have you ever heard the term 'Don't shit where you eat'? If not you should look it up before you find yourself destitute."

The more she spoke the paler Black became until he took a step back from his best friend, tripping over Remus as he went and tumbling to his ass between the other two marauders.

"I will also personally make sure that your little redheaded muggleborn girlfriend learns all about how the great Lord Potter is not going to be so rich and great once all of this comes into play. I'm sure she will be happy to find another rich and reasonably attractive noble family to marry into. Muggleborns are a prized catch now since we know about the birth defects that interbreeding has caused. She is fresh blood for us all and one of the reasons I know you want her. I have several cousins who would take one look at her and spend every galleon needed to woo her to their arms and beds. Do not fuck with me or my fiancé again Potter or I will destroy every facet of your life!"

Severus watched with a look of dispassion as Black helped Lupin and Pettigrew up and all three of them took off away from the very furious and sharp tongued witch. Potter on the other hand was turning more red by the second as his glorious Moon tore his empire to pieces.

"Are you such a sniveling coward that you need your girlfriend to fight your fights for you?"

The smirk he let form on his lips as he gave Potter a drool stare and a shrug only seem to enrage him more.

"You insulted her and as I have a great deal of respect and faith in my fiance's ability to end you with the magic in her pinky finger alone…I find I am rather enjoying sitting back and watching her as she eviscerates you."

Severus knew his voice was filled with amusement and with a growl of pure rage Potter lifted his wand towards his face. That was the last move he made. Her voice calm and deadly, his Moon had Potter disarmed, gagged, and sporting boils from head to toe before he had a chance to even open his mouth. The burning pain caused him to moan and cry out around his gag and as several students went to alert a teacher, Severus knelt down to look James Potter in the eye.

"My father had a seer that he knew as a child. This seer showed him a future where the wizarding world was burning because of pointless prejudices. He vowed at my age to make it a better place for everyone. A place all magical beings, be them witch and wizard, vampire, or werewolf like your friend Lupin, could be safe and protected and respected. Your father and Blacks' were some of the men he recruited to help bring this about. What you are doing spits on everything my father, the sacred twenty-eight including your father and mother, and the ministry has been trying to build."

"He also explained to me when I first told him about Lily that she was not for me. He had seen pairings that would make our world stronger and flourish with power. He would not tell me mine…probably because he wanted me to see it on my own."

Looking up at Moon he couldn't help but give her a soft smile meant only for her.

"I now consider myself blessed to have seen the light and found her. It is your turn to grow up and see what is being put right in front of you. By blood and by magical adoption, I am one of the sacred twenty-eight and I am the son of the most respected and influential wizard of all time. When my father speaks the very cosmos listens. I have kept him out of our feud all these years because I knew it was not fair to let him get involved. I am done now…with it all Lord Potter."

Standing he took Acanthara's hand and placed it into the crook of his arm.

"You and Lily are meant Potter. I have known that for months now and I not only accepted that, I wish you all the luck and love in the world. You have a chance to be someone better than you are right now. You still have a chance to change and decide you want to be that wizard that walks down the street in later years and the kids point and whisper that there is the great and caring Lord Potter or the rich, handsome, and mighty James Potter. You can be someone they look up to or you can be the laughing stock of the wizarding world. I leave the choice up to you. Continue in the vein you have lived so far and I will make sure you are ruined. Futures are not set in stone…they are malleable and can be changed. Keep that in mind before everything you think you have becomes everything that you have lost."

With that final warning, Severus turned and headed inside to meet with Slughorn about the magic used before another teacher could get to Acanthara. It was his duty and his pleasure to protect her now and he had every intention of succeeding when it came to anything to do with his witch.


	30. Chapter 30-Renewed Hope

**Greetings and such as normal!**

**I wasn't sure if I was going to work on my other stories (I have 5 in progress at the moment) or update today until I started writing. It turns out Tom refused to leave me alone until I gave you another update. So here you go my lovely people. **

**I used a part of a quote by Nietzsche in the chapter...you will see it as it talks about the abyss. The real quote is one of my favorites and it sort of fell out of Tom's mouth so I left it lol.**

**_Phoenix_ my dear...hope you enjoy the little part I dropped you in to lol. You have been an awesome reader and your reviews never cease to amaze me in how they inspire me to keep writing and always keep me laughing. Thank you so much for your support and love.**

**On with the show!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**P.S. To my Coven: I know Moon got a bigger part but it was her birthday story after all. I promise to even the score in later fics down the road. :P (Dash)**

* * *

Tom stood back with Avery as the platform filled with all ages of eager students waiting to head back to Hogwarts or to arrive for the very first time. His eyes scanned the crowd back and forth looking for one thing…wild, out of control, bushy brown hair. The past eleven years had been torture for him. He had stayed far away from Hermione and her parents and allowed her to grow up as she did before, with no knowledge of the wizarding world until it was time for her sponsorship. He had worried every day that something would happen to her and he would lose her all over again.

Due to the memories given, Severus had asked to be allowed to sponsor Miss Granger and with Tom being the head of the Board of Governors now, he had allowed it. That had given him a little more peace of mind knowing his son and his daughter-in-law had a handle on her starting magical education and her health and welfare.

He knew she would be arriving today with his grandchildren, Severus and Acanthara's twins Thorn and Noira Prince. He had been shocked when they had delivered the news that his beautiful daughter-in-law had been pregnant. He had thought they would want to wait as Severus received his mastery in potions and Acanthara trained for her position as Under Secretary at the ministry.

He had been corrected in his thinking with the announcement and had had to pull his shields up to keep the rush of heartache and gratitude at a controllable level as Acanthara has told him she wanted to make sure they had a son or daughter who would go to school the same time as Hermione so she wasn't alone. He had presented his beloved daughter-in-law with an entire set of goblin made jewelry when the twins were born, beautiful pieces of silver with emeralds inlaid in the shape of the cycles of the moon to represent her childhood nickname they had gifted her with.

On the way throw the wall to Platform 9 and ¾, he had greeted Lucius Malfoy and his current wife Shacia Malfoy. As instructed by Abraxas, he had married Narcissa Black. The birth of their son Draco had been a hard one and she had not survived long after his birth. Tom had never known if she had truly been that weak or if Lucius had wanted to marry the muggleborn witch he fell in love with in school and had gotten his first wife out of the way…nor did he care. With the birth of Draco, he had seen the time line as he knew it set right so that Hermione had the ones she cared about all there.

Lost in his thoughts, he had to blink as the face of James Potter and Sirius Black blocked his view as both walked over to his small group to greet him. Both dipped their heads in a respectful nod before taking a step to the side so he could see between them.

"Lord Riddle…always a pleasure to see you. Are the grandchildren looking forward to heading off to their first year at Hogwarts?"

Sirius' petite and soft spoken wife gave him a sweet smile as she greeted him and he could not help but return it. She had been a surprise to all of them as Sirius had had the image of a serious playboy during school. He had graduated and within the first year presented Nyx Hawthorne as his betrothed, a great feat to be sure as she was the first female to be born to the Hawthorne line in at least ten generations.

"I must say I think it is my pleasure to be seeing you again Lady Black. You look as lovely as ever."

Leaning down he placed a gentle brush of lips along her knuckles before standing back up.

"Are you ready to see young Aither off as well or are you as nervous about it as I hear Lily is about sending young Harry?"

Her smile turned mischievous as she leaned into him a little to whisper her reply.

"As I plan to tell Sirius tonight that after all this time trying, we will be having a little girl in six months' time, I am sure having an empty house tonight would be best."

Her wink had him laughing and with a bow and a murmured _congratulations_ he turned his attention to the couple to his right. Though they were still not a favorite of Severus' or his, Tom made sure to greet James and Lily as he did Sirius and Nyx and even bent down to spare a few words for the be-speckled boy he knew in another life time would have been his enemy and possible doom.

"What house are you hoping to get into Harry? Do you have a favorite?"

Harry looked up at his mom and dad to make sure they were distracted before leaning in and cupping his hand around his mouth to whisper to Tom as well.

"Mom and Dad want me to be in Gryffindor but I hope I get into Slytherin."

Looking a little shocked, Tom raised an eyebrow and made sure to stay leaned in close to him so the conversation stayed private.

"And why is that?"

"Because Professor Prince is the Head of House and I would rather know I am safe and protected while away from Dad."

Tom could not help the odd look as he asked if he could take a quick walk with Harry alone. Though James nodded with a bright smile, he noticed that the little muggleborn was not so happy to see him take an interest in her son. Once he was far enough away he sat down on one of the benches with Harry.

"Do you feel like you need to be protected at Hogwarts Harry?"

His hesitant nod made Tom worry at his lip for a moment.

"Will you tell me why?"

The boy dropped his head and ran a hand through his already unruly hair before speaking quietly with his eyes cast to his feet.

"Mom says I'm being stupid and childish but I have this weird feeling of déjà vu when I think about going there and it fills me with a sense of wonder and…and…terror. I don't know why and I can't explain it but its there just like…"

Tom waited and when it looked like the boy wouldn't continue he prompted him gently.

"Just like what Harry?"

With a slight tremor in his shoulders, Harry took a deep breath and then looked up at him.

"It's the same feeling I get when I am around you sir. You have been nothing but kind and polite and even helpful when I have been near you but for some reason I have this fear I can't shake when I am in your presence and mom says it's because you and Severus are dark wizards. But neither you nor Professor Prince has ever done anything to hurt me or Aither or Hermione so I have no idea why she calls you that or why it's only you I am afraid of."

He kept the surprise off of his face as he truly took in the hidden fear in the little boy's eyes. Taking his hand, Tom placed it between both of his and gave him a kind smile.

"I can promise you Harry Potter that I will never harm you in any way as long as you do not harm or attack my family or those I love. I think that you are going to be a very powerful and exceptional wizard and I am looking forward to watching you grow and learn and when you are old enough possibly find your way into the ministry as a head of maybe our Auror department or even Minister of Magic one day. Your mother is right and I will not lie to you about it. Severus and I do lean towards the darker side of magic at times but never to do more harm than good and never too far into the darkness. They say if you look into the abyss too long…it stares back. I personally do not wish to be looked at by something called the abyss…would you?"

The grin he gave the Potter boy made him giggle as he shook his head and with a wave he sent him back off to his parents to get ready to board.

"I think you are very brave to tell me Harry and I think you will excel as a Gryffindor. Now get going before you miss your train."

Standing as well, Tom strolled slowly along the back of the platform and watched as the children all began to say goodbye to their parents and get well wishes for a safe and happy year. He could not wait to have a few of his own…maybe with his black hair and her curls or with her brown hair and his wavy, more manageable locks. He hoped they had a little girl with her eyes and her pert little nose and her smile but no matter what came in the future…he would cherish every second of it.

His thoughts were interrupted as a gentle hand touched his arm from behind. Turning his head his eyes met the onyx eyes of his grandson Thorn and he couldn't help but smile as the boy gave him a sly grin and held up a chocolate frog card with his face on it.

"Look Grandfather…I finally managed to get your card out of one of these. Father says that I need to keep it well hidden and safe as your card is a rare one."

Taking out his wand and waving it over the card with a few softly spoken words, Tom grinned down at the boy who looked just like his father did at that age and winked.

"Let someone try to touch it now or take it. I assure you they will regret it."

Thorn laughed his youthfully joyous laugh and hugged him hard around the waist.

"You are the greatest grandfather ever…no matter what Draco soddin' Malfoy says!"

Tom joined in the laughter as Severus and Acanthara approached with Noira and Hermione in tow. Keeping his eyes on his son and daughter-n-law he greeted them both first with a hand shake and a kiss on the cheek. A gentle and loving hug from Noira with a shy smile and he was suddenly face to face with the reborn version of the girl who was seared into his very bones.

"Father…I would like you to meet our sponsored little muggleborn witch. This is Hermione Granger. Hermione, I would like you to meet my father…Tom Riddle."

Hermione curtsied politely and he bowed in return, trying and failing to tear his eyes away from her sweet, innocent face. The last time he had seen her flashed behind his eyes, her mouth open in a silent scream as she burned away to ashes. His helplessness and fury rolled to the surface and he slammed his shields up with all of his magical will power to keep from letting it show in any way.

"It is a pleasure to finally get a chance to meet you Miss Granger. I have heard all about you from Severus. Are you excited to be heading to Hogwarts?"

Meeting his eyes with absolutely no fear or hesitation, she answered him with the same swotty tone she had used the first time he had ever talked to her when he had been eleven.

"I am honored to meet you as well though I am sorry to say I do not know very much about you. Lord Prince has made it his entire purpose during my time at his manor to teach me every single possible lesson he thinks I needed to know before coming here. Thankfully, I happen to be extremely bright so I was able to retain it all with little effort. I am equal parts excited and nervous to head to the school as I am worried I will not fit in here any better than I did at primary school in the muggle world."

"I assure you Hermione…Thorn and I will look out for you no matter what house you end up in."

Noira put her arm around the little witch and smiled down at her and it seemed to relax Hermione's shoulders some.

"As will I Hermione."

They all turned to see Regulus approaching with his slightly older daughter Chara pulling her trunk behind her. Regulus had not waited until he was out of school but had married as soon as he was of age and had a daughter that same year. Tom and Orion were pretty his wife had already been pregnant before the wedding but no one talked about it. Chara was grinning from ear to ear as she set the trunk down and moved around the circle to hug everyone before wrapping her arm around Hermione's shoulder from the other side.

"You'll either be a Ravenclaw like me or you will end up in Gryffindor with that lack of fear you seem to have. If it's Ravenclaw then you will have me around and if it's Gryffindor then I will be sure to tell the Weasley twins and my younger sister to keep an eye on you until you make some new friends. Speaking of Weasley's…I see the youngest boy trying to get close to Harry already…let me just go make sure that isn't going to cause issues."

Running off into the crowd, Chara moved with the grace of her father and in no time was swallowed up by the other children. Tom gave Regulus a raised eyebrow and all he could do was grin and shrug before starting a conversation with Severus. Tom focused back on Hermione as she turned to talk to Noira.

"I know she is right…it's just…you and Thorn are going to be Slytherins and we all know it. No matter how much time I have spent around all of you…I will not be and we all know it. Like Chara said…I'll probably be a Ravenclaw or possibly a Gryffindor. If we don't have classes together and I am not in your dorm room…I am going to be spending time with people who don't know me and may not like me. I am usually too smart or annoying to other people."

Tom bent down to one knee and gently touched her chin so she would look at him again.

"I can promise you dove…no matter what house you end up in…you will make friends and you will be adored…I have a sixth sense about these things."

Letting his hand drop before he gave in to the urge to memorize her face again at this very moment, Tom smiled and watched her eyes light the same way they always did as a blush spread across her cheeks.

"For some reason I believe you Lord Riddle…thank you. You seem familiar to me. Are you sure we have not met before?"

Again his surprise came but not as strongly now that he had talked to Harry. Standing back to his feet he gave her a nod.

"I am sure we have not met in this lifetime…but maybe in another once upon a time?"

He watched her contemplate that answer and he couldn't help but have to glance away as his eyes filled with tears.

"I think that may be a very likely possibility. I truly feel like I know you or have known you my entire life. I am sorry if I upset you…I didn't mean to."

She took his hand into her small one and gave it a gentle squeeze and as he looked down where they were touching his hope that it would all work out in the end renewed.

"It was nothing you did little one. You just remind me of someone that I love very much and it made me miss her dearly. Go ahead and get boarded with the others. We wouldn't want you to be late on your very first day!"

Her look made him laugh as she did a quick curtsy and turned to scurry towards her trunk and the train to start boarding. Hugging his grandchildren as they moved to follow the petite future Gryffindor, Tom couldn't help but smile. The dark chuckle of his son and the delighted laugh of his daughter-in-law helped stem the tears and the ache and with another kiss to Acanthara's cheek and brief handshakes and looks between him, Severus, and Regulus, Tom turned and headed for the apparition point, needing to be home so that he could allow his emotions freedom for a bit.


	31. Chapter 31-Sand Through the Hourglass

**Greetings my Secret Keepers!**

**This chapter may or may not be as good or fun. Sometimes you have to have those filler chapters that tell you what has happened as time passes and this is one of those. I tried to make it informative and interesting but as I am tired today...I do not know if I succeeded. Hope you all enjoy the update though. I have the last eight chapters planned out...as best as I plan anyways...and we are on the final stretch of this story. Just seven more to go after this one.**

**Heading to start the next chapter so I will leave you to it. A special thanks to Moon who gave me the idea for the Christmas presents in this chapter so that they were bonding in some way through her younger years. Moon has also started out self imposed title chapter challenge on our coven page. Please do find your way over to it when you are bored and check out our profile. I have 4 stories in the works as we speak that will be added there and not here.**

**You can find the profile under my favorite authors or just click here: ** u/12732381/Priestesses-of-H-I-S-S

**Always**

**Tempest**

* * *

Tom stood staring at the Goblet of Fire as the blue flames gently swayed and licked the air in leisure. He kept the parchment in his hand moving as he lifted and lowered his fingers in such a way that it rolled along his knuckles like a coin did for a muggle magician. He had not been worried about involving Harry or Hermione in the other yearly 'competitions' that he had provided to keep the bond between them roughly the same, but this one worried him.

In first year he had helped design a test just like the original one that the golden trio had gone through but this time it was for house points and a prize to the winning team. He had relied on Severus and Remus Lupin, both of whom taught at the school, to ensure the challenges were of a very high caliber. Teams of three were to go in and try to solve all the puzzles and games in order to reach the end. The team to complete the challenge the fastest would be the winner. He had no doubts that his dove would lead her team to victory and she had.

Gryffindor had been awarded 100 points for the completion of the trials and the three had been given a gift certificate of sorts to their favorite store in Hogsmead or Diagon Alley to the tune of 100 galleons. Hermione had of course chosen Florish and Blott's, whereas both boys had chosen the Quality Quidditch Supplies store. Hermione had just rolled her eyes at them but given a smile as well.

That was also the year that his little dove with the slight nudge from her sponsor mother Acanthara had started to send him a Christmas present along with one to Minister Malfoy and several of his other influential people in high places. She had been told it was always good to show that you have exquisite taste and that you know who has the power in the community and how to show appreciation and respect for those individuals. The first year it had been a very nice muggle pen that Severus had explained later on was considered very expensive and coveted by muggle business men.

In second year he had helped arrange with Minerva a scavenger hunt of sorts where a mythical creature was to be found somewhere inside the school. He had spoken with his basilisk at length and she agreed to hide and slither and skulk as the students tried to follow the clues to find her. There had been a couple of accidents along the way that had not been 'accidents' at all. He had talked to several guardians who had agreed under the right circumstances to allow their child to be petrified in order to make the hunt more thrilling and scary.

In the end, unbeknownst to him, Hermione had been part of the random draw of petrified children and he had been livid at first that she had still been caught this year. He soon summarized that fate was trying to smooth out the destroyed time line alongside him and so he had no choice but to watch how it all played out. In the end, Potter and Weasley had found out what type of creature it was due to his brilliant little witch and had won the scavenger hunt. Their prize was being allowed to spend time learning all about the care of a basilisk and helping take care of the one guarding Hogwarts. His dove had been over the moon about it all.

Her Christmas present to him that year had been a nice set of ties with stripes in all the house colors. She was a very cheeky little witch at thirteen and had thought since he was on the board he should have silk ties in all the colors of Hogwarts to wear to meetings. He had worn every single one of them at least once during a months' time and smiled every time he knotted the red and gold striped one around his neck. She may not have been aware of it but her gifts had been more personal and more like gifts from a betrothed than she ever gave other people.

Third year had been a little harder to recreate. He had allowed Hermione to have her time turner and take as many classes as she liked and watched all year as she had matured faster than all the others of her year. She gained two years of age to their one and his excitement that they were getting closer to the time he was waiting for doubled. He had ended up not needing to plan much of anything as Hagrid had done it all himself. The hippogriff had taken an instant dislike of Theodore Nott and when the arrogant boy had approached the animal in disrespect, it had tried to attack him. He watched from the sidelines as the events played out just as they had before…only involving the Nott brat instead of Malfoy's son and Sirius Black was not at all involved as he was not a wanted criminal this time.

With the help of the potions master's brew and Lupin's consent, all of the children had also had a chance to see a real werewolf in person as he changed and what he was like with the potion and without it. As the DADA professor, Remus had made sure to give a very thorough lector on werewolves before agreeing to allow his students to bear witness to what happened to him every full moon. Though some parents after had tried to raise issue with a werewolf teaching at the school, Tom and his group had made sure to remind those that opposed Remus' spot as a professor that werewolves were protected just like witches and wizards and vampires and centaurs and that the discrimination would not be tolerated.

Once again she had marked him as hers without realizing it as he had opened the small box on Christmas day to find a beautiful set of cuff links in the shape of lion heads with small ruby eyes. What had hit him hardest was not just that she had given him an entirely Gryffindor type gift but that the gift had had red eyes. He wondered if that had to do with residual imprint memories on her soul that still remembered Voldemort or if it had just been her Gryffindor nature coming out. He hoped for the latter.

Now here they were at the start of the fourth year of her magical education and the Tri-Wizard Tournament was happening at Hogwarts as it was meant to. He knew that this had been a very dangerous time for them all but he had a nagging feeling deep in his core that this had to happen as it was meant to happen. And so with a sigh and a flourish of his wand, he confounded the Goblet just as before and entered in Harry Potter's name. Now he just had to ride it out and hope that they all came out of this alive.

* * *

Tom sat next to Severus as the first task got underway. He had been very proud as his son had explained to the hall that sometimes the Goblet chose a worthy candidate as a champion even against the wizard's rules and that Harry Potter had been called so he had to complete. Now after watching Fleur, Viktor, and Cedric achieve victory over their dragons, he waited while scarcely breathing as his little witch's best friend dodge and rolled and ran from the very angry Hungarian Horntail.

The summoning of his broom and the feat of getting the egg while leading the dragon on a merry chase through the grounds of Hogwarts had even Tom smiling and clapping as Harry finished tied first with Viktor. However, his smile was short lived as he watched the Bulgarian seeker present his dove with a flower before he walked off with the other champions. Her reddened cheeks and shy smile made him see a different shade of red and he felt more than saw Severus lean into him.

"I shall take care of the issue post haste Father. Do not allow it to further aggravate you."

Nodding his head and taking several deep breaths, Tom left the stadium and returned home, his magic exploding from him is jets of reds and greens as soon as he got into his training room. His cast and spun until he burned out all of his jealous rage before having a nice cup of tea and a long shower to wash away the sweat of the day.

* * *

The yule ball was in full swing when Tom arrived with Minister Malfoy. Taking time to socialize, both wizards made the circuit around the ballroom before setting themselves at their table along the slightly raised dais at the front near the stage. Tom's eyes scanned the crowd until they lighted on his prey. Dancing and laughing in a periwinkle-blue dress, she looked like the epitome of grace and loveliness. Though she was in the arms of Viktor Krum, he knew that Severus had set the wizard straight that Hermione was already spoken for and he was now escorting her to keep her protected from other wizard's wandering hands or eyes.

She had told him about the ball but she had never shared the memory with him. Watching her now, he was sorry he had not had a chance to feel her emotions from her original time line at this moment. She looked so happy and carefree as Viktor twirled her around…making her laugh in delight. Her hair was up and tamed for once and only a few curls hung down to gently touch her neck and collarbone. Salazar help him she was only fifteen now thanks to the time turner but he wanted so badly to wrap her in his arms, twirl her around the dance floor as he buried his nose in her hair to see what beautiful smelled like.

As he watched her the rest of the night with her friends and her escort, Tom understood how frustrating it must have been for her to have to deal with her feelings for him when he had been too young to act on them. Like her, he had been mature for his age and he had grown into his height and body early. Roles reversed now…he did not envy her position and commended her silently on her control during that time.

At one point she had managed to walk by their table and with a smile and a mischievous twinkle to her eyes she had commented that she liked his cuff links, which had been from her, and he had thanked her with the same amused grin. She had walked over and with a quiet _Happy Yule Lord Riddle_ she had placed another small box on the table before wandering off back to the crowd of dancers. Opening it he had not been able to help the melting sensation around his heart as he took in the beautifully goblin crafted lapel pin in the form of a snake. The Emerald eye seemed to wink at him as the light hit it and he took it out to fasten it to his dress robes…his smile stretching wider across his face.

The night had ended in tears however, as Pansy Parkinson in a jealous fit that Hermione had gained the attention of such a super star, stepped on the hem of her dress intentionally and not only knocked her down but torn the bottom of it to pieces. The Weasley boy had only made it worse by telling her that she had to learn to expect that if she was going to stroll around with someone so above her station as Viktor Krum. Avery had appeared out of nowhere and stood in his way, furious eyes meeting calm eyes and not backing down as Tom had raged inside.

He had later thanked Avery for always being there to keep him in check. Ever since the morning he had endured the cuts and pain to try to help Tom with his magic and anger, Tom had never trusted someone as much as he did Lawrence Avery…at least not until Severus came along. Even Minister Malfoy was held at a respectable distance in case he decided to try to go his own way and not the way Tom wanted. Besides his family that he had made and his witch…Avery was the only other person alive that Tom would have burned the world to save.

The second task had only exacerbated his jealousy and he had to grit his teeth as Viktor emerged from the lake with Hermione tucked snugly in his arms. Her smile as she was wrapped in a towel had been the last straw and with a billow of robes that mimicked his son, Tom stormed away from the stands to the boundaries and left. This had gone on long enough. He knew that he was about to rush things more than he planned but he could not stand to have her look at another boy that way when her heart was his!

Once again Avery came to the rescue and had followed him home. Throwing up shield after shield as he let Tom rant and cast, rage and yell, he had reminded Tom that he needed to wait just a little bit longer. Hermione was almost of age due to the time turner and once she was it would be safe and appropriate to pursue her in the manner he had planned. Until then he had to deal with the fact that other boys were going to find her attractive and desirable and would show her their affections.

From that point on Tom stayed away from his little witch and kept himself busy making sure that everything was in place for the end of her sixth year. Though she was going to be turning seventeen at the beginning of 5th year, he had decided to wait until the end of her 6th year to move forward with his plans. He knew she would want to finish school and it was usually the 7th year that witches were betrothed to their wizards. Until that time came, he would stay away from her so as not to cause any undue drama in her life as she continued on as a normal teenager.

* * *

Tom glared at his son as Severus stood stoically with his hands behind his back as he waited to see how he would react. He could feel his blood boiling but he also couldn't deny that this was normal and he had to allow it if he wanted to allow her the chance at life that he had promised to give her. With a nod at Severus he turned and with quick steps took himself across the room to the brandy. Pouring himself a generous two fingers full he swallowed it all down with one gulp before sighing.

"Did it have to be Viktor Krum of all people? I know that Viktor has agreed to only be her friend but what if she falls for him and then gets her heart broken. I do not wish to see her harmed because I interfered."

"Father…."

Knowing that talks of this nature were not his son's forte, he gave him a raised eyebrow before turning his eyes to his daughter-in-law.

"Tom she will be yours in a years' time. She may very well give her immature heart to Viktor or even the Weasley boy or any number of other boys who come in and out of her life between now and when you finally claim her. In the end…none of them will matter to her once she has you."

"How can you be so sure?"

Her eyes drifting up to look at Severus, Tom watched as his usually very shielded and pricky daughter-in-law melted around the edges.

"It's what happens when you find your soul mate."

"Very well…let her go to Bulgaria but make sure the Krum's know who they hold in their midst. If she is harmed or returns without her virtue…it will be their family I hold accountable!"

With that he waved them out as he poured another drink trying to drown the painful ache the was beating a rhythm against his chest.


	32. Chapter 32-Not All Can Be Erased

**Greetings my esteemed Secret-icities!**

**Since the last one was filler to get you caught up on years and how Tom arranged certain things, I decided to give you another update cause I was not satisfied with just that one. So here you go you little addicts...enjoy!**

**Warnings: Torture, Non-Con touching**

**Always**

**Tempest**

**P.S. What did you think it would be all sunshine and rainbows out of me?**

* * *

Hermione woke slowly, her head pounding like she had had one too many shots of vodka or whiskey. Her body didn't seem to want to cooperate with her and as she lay there she tried to remember what happened. In flashes it came back to her and with trembling hands she pushed herself up to look around.

She had been coming back from a shopping trip with Viktor and his little sister Anya when bolts of red flashed around them so fast there was no time to react. She had watched as Viktor and then Anya had fallen, stunned by the magic that had hit them. Her eyes wide she had looked over to see a group of witches and wizards, all with their wands pointed in her direction. She didn't really know any of them and only vaguely recognized the curly haired witch in the very front but couldn't place her name.

They all advanced on her and she watched as four of them took her friends away talking of using them for ransom while she was stunned and left to fall hard to the ground before being kicked several times all along her body. One blow to the back of her head made the world tilt and with a curse from her captor she knew no more.

Now she seemed to be sitting on the floor of a dungeon cell. The walls were made of the same stone as the floor and grim covered every available surface. There were holes in the walls where she guessed chains used to hang at one point back in the medieval times and with a shutter she pushed to her feet and moved to hold the bars of the cell.

Her fear kept her silent and she prayed that her guardian would hear about her abduction soon and come looking for her. She had no idea how long she had been down here already but the chill in the air was starting to make her bones ache.

* * *

Miles away in a brightly lit manor a party was in full swing. The celebration of his daughter-in-law's birthday was going full out and he couldn't have been happier to see her smiling face as she was lavished with praises and attention and gifts. All of his acquaintances knew how he felt about her and they made sure to let her know just how wonderful and special and adored she was. No one wanted to offend the infamous Lord Riddle over any of member of his chosen family.

He watched his son standing nearby with their children twitch ever so often when a gentleman got a little too friendly with his wife. However, Acanthara was not one to allow such liberties herself and Tom knew Severus enjoyed watching her disembowel someone with words alone for daring to be so forward with her person. She was as madly in love with her husband as he was with her and no man was allowed any leeway when it came to a slight such as that.

His enjoyment was interrupted as he glanced around only to see Avery heading his way with a grave face and a very quick stride. Moving to meet him halfway he waved away his bow as he waited to see what news he had to bear.

"My lord…I apologize for the interruption but Miss Granger has been kidnapped along with Lord Krum and his little sister, Lady Anya. The family just received the ransom demands and when asked about Miss Granger they were told in no uncertain terms that the 'mudblood' was no longer their concern. I fear the worst with such vulgar terms being used."

Heart in his throat, Tom took a moment to wrap his iron control around his panic and his fury as he felt the darkness creep up along the edges and whisper to him like a long lost lover.

"Please gather the wolves and tell my son. Give my sweet Moonbeam my apologies as I am going to have to leave her gathering. I will be in the apparition room readying a portkey with Kingsley and Dolohov to get us to Bulgaria quickly."

Avery nodded and quietly but effectively maneuvered through the room and over to where Severus and Acanthara were holding court. Tom made his way across the ballroom and exited into the manor hallway without once being stopped. It helped to have his reputation and for everyone to know when he was busy with something to get out of his way. He could only guess that is where Severus picked it up from. Of course as he had picked it up from the memories of Severus given to him by HG…really who taught who in the end?

* * *

The shivering had escalated and Hermione had finally sat back down and wrapped herself up as tight as she could with her arms around her knees. Her teeth were chattering and her lips were dry and trembling. She had called for help and then for anyone at all until her voice had turned hoarse. Now she was conserving her energy and hoping the Lord and Lady Prince or maybe even Lord Riddle would come looking for her. Closing her eyes she let her mind drift as she tried to forget about how very cold she really was.

In her mind she saw the door at the top of the stairs near her cell fly open. The light from above caused her to blink her eyes as they blurred with tears. Sounds of spells being fired and a fight ensuing somewhere beyond the door had her scrambling away from the cage door and to the corner of the cell. The light thud of footsteps as someone descended the stairs had her shrinking in on herself until a shadow fell over her. Looking up she couldn't help the smile that formed as the warm blue eyes of her Knight met her honey brown ones.

"Miss Granger…I've come to get you out of here and take you to safety."

As he waved his hand at the door, it swung open without a single sound and he took measured steps so as not to frighten her as he held his hand out. Gently placing her hand in his she noticed he had the cuff links and lapel pin on that she had given him and it caused another flutter in the pit of her stomach. He pulled her to his feet, the cold making her clumsy as she stumbled against him. His strong arms came around her and held her up against his warmth and as the feeling seeped to her aching bones she couldn't help but take a deep breath of his unique scent and hold it in her lungs.

"Are you alright Miss Granger? Did they hurt you?"

Gazing up at him she couldn't stop the thought of how utterly handsome and beguiling he was and how she wished she were older so he would see her as a woman and not a child. She hated that her heart had betrayed her so foolishly. She was his son's ward…even if Professor Prince was adopted. She had no idea how old he truly was as he never seemed to age but she knew he would never see her as anything but another of his school's students.

Her sigh must have given her away because he raised an eyebrow at her in worry and lifted her up into his arms.

"My dearest dove you are shaking like a leaf. Let's get you out of here and to somewhere warmer and we can talk about the forlorn look you have on your face. Is there anything I can do to make you smile?"

Her mouth got ahead of her brain and her response tumbled from her lips before she could filter it.

"A kiss to warm my blood."

His smile was one of wicked amusement and predatory delight and without hesitation he leaned his head down and took her mouth in a swift melding of lips and tongue, making her toes curl and her blood not only heat but rush south very quickly to pool as liquid desire between her legs.

Her daydream was utterly shattered as the door really did open and the same curly haired witch appeared at the bars. The sneer she gave Hermione made her skin crawl and as the two brutes behind her opened the door she tried to make herself smaller as she pushed back harder into the corner.

Rough hands grabbed her and with a cry born of terror she kicked and fought and screamed until one of them slapped her across the face causing her head to explode in pain again and her legs to give out from under her. Tears streaming down her face she was dragged bodily up the stairs and into a room that looked just as inviting as the cell she just left.

* * *

Kingsley had been furious to find out the sweet little Gryffindor had been kidnapped and within fifteen minutes he had stepped through the floo with a portkey in hand and half a dozen Aurors.

"Kings…it's in another country. I am not sure you have jurisdiction."

"No worries Tom…we are all off duty and just traveling together to help a friend find a missing citizen of England."

If he had not been occluding so heavily to control his inner demons, Tom knew he would have been touched at the care Kingsley was giving him. As it was all he could concentrate on was getting to Bulgaria and starting their search. He knew Severus had placed several spells and items on her all for tracking purposes and he could only hope her captures had not been smart enough to strip her of them all.

Looking around he couldn't help but be so very grateful for all the people he had learned to somewhat trust and rely on who always had his back. Hermione had been right…he had started to treat them with respect and in return he had gained their loyalty and their love. To his right his son and his fiery daughter-in-law were making sure they were ready to go. Moving around the circle were Kingsley and his six very well trained and elite Aurors. From there he had Lucius Malfoy, Antonin Dolohov, Regulus Black, Sirius Black and his lovely wife Nyx, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and directly to his left his brother in all but blood…Avery.

As the last of them nodded that they were ready they all placed a hand on the cane that Kingsley had brought and with the uttered keyword they were flying and spinning in quickening circles until they landed in the courtyard of the Krum estate. Lord and Lady Krum were surrounded by Bulgarian Aurors and as the head of their law enforcement came over he was met with Kingsley who didn't even pause before taking over what they were there to do and how Bulgaria could help them.

Tom only gave Lord Krum a passing glare of pure fury before he and his group headed away from the property lines so that they could start tracking his witch. The moment the blood wards shimmered around them and fell away, Severus and Acanthara began to chant as they locked hands. Their magic swirled up and around them before mingling together. As the incantation moved towards a closing, the light became darker and more sinister until with a final cry they flung their arms up into the air and the magic left them in a rush of burning power and flew into the sky.

As the dark purple light streaked across the sky in a northerly direction, he and all his knights took to the sky as black clouds of smoke, leaving the poor Aurors to try to follow on their broomsticks.

* * *

The slap of her hands against the floor as she tried to catch herself made her palms sting. Biting her lip to keep from crying out again, Hermione tasted blood and knew she had bitten clean through her bottom lip at the jarring landing. The two wizards grunted as they moved to stand in the corners of the room and the witch with the manic eyes came to leer over her.

"Think you are so special with your sweet smile and your dirty blood and your whore offerings. You are beneath his very notice and yet he refuses to even acknowledge me but is always looking in your direction at every function."

Spittle flew out of her mouth at the force she was talking and Hermione wiped some off her face as it landed along her cheek. The movement made the witch's eyes flash with glee and she snapped her hand out, slapping Hermione's away from her face.

"Mudblood's like you need to know your place. You are nothing but dirty animals for us to use and discard as we see fit. And if a superior witch deems it fitting to spit on a lesser one than the lesser one will take it and be thankful for it."

Her anger provoked now as she had learned what that word meant and refused to have it used in reference to her, Hermione laughed as she stared up at the witch.

"Well if I meet a superior witch to me than I shall keep that in mind."

"How dare you!"

The scream was filled with rage and bordering on hysterical and as she raised her wand Hermione had the thought that maybe she shouldn't have provoke her after all.

"I will teach you some manners you dirty little ingrate!"

"Crucio!"

The spell slammed into her and threw her backwards as her back convulsed and her limbs felt like they bent at odd angles. A scream tore up from her chest and flew into the air around them so violently that she could feel the tears to her vocal cords and the blood that ran down her throat. Her head slammed repeatedly into the wooden floor as the intensity rose with each second held by the insane witch.

Wave after wave of unrelenting pain cascaded through her and over her as the witch renewed the spell over and over again until she felt like her brain was going to melt into a puddle and run out of her ears. Just as suddenly as it came, the pain stopped and she was left heaving on the floor as her attacker's head snapped to the window before she moved to look out.

"He is here! Now I will show him how pathetic you truly are and how I am a much better choice of companion and he will feed his darkness with your dirty blood until it runs in rivulets along the floor."

Hermione did not have enough cognizant brain function to really comprehend what the bitch was saying but she knew enough to know she needed to get out of here if she could. Turning over on her stomach, Hermione tried to rise to her knees and with success she started to inch her way towards another door that hopefully led out of the house and away from the pain.

"Where do you think you are going girly?"

A rough, callused hand grabbed her around the throat and lifted her up off of the floor and off her feet. Grabbing the wrist and trying unsuccessfully to pull in air her eyes met the yellow, wolf-like eyes of the large burly man in front of her and with a whimper she stopped kicking her feet and tried to be still.

"I was promised a taste of you when she was done with you. Since she seems to be focused on the arrivals, I think I'll take my taste now."

His tongue came out and ran from her jaw line up her cheek, ending as he reached her hair line. His other hand came up to grip her breast in a painful hold that had her whimpering again. Turning and pinning her to the wall he let her drop to her feet before shoving one of his thighs between her legs and setting both of his hands on her. Her cries seemed to echo off the wall as he pinched her nipples and sunk his sharp nails into the tender flesh of her breasts.

"Yes my sweet little mouse…scream for me. I love when they beg for mercy too. You gonna beg my pretty little witch? Beg for mercy…beg me you little bitch!"

The snarl caused her to flinch as he started to grind his leg against her center, his hands grabbing the front of her shirt and tearing it in two. As his mouth descended towards hers she squeezed her eyes shut only to feel a sudden rush of air as she was released to fall to the ground. Trying to pull the torn shirt over her exposed chest she looked up only to meet the furious eyes of Lord Riddle. She had never seen anything but warmth from him but at that very moment his eyes promised a painful, screaming death.

His voice was a deep growl of wrath as he kept his eyes on her.

"Lupin…tear that blackguard to pieces! No one touches my dove and lives."


	33. Chapter 33-A Love Reborn

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know I left you all hanging by a thread yesterday but here I am continuing on with the story. Only five chapters to go! Let's see where they take us huh?**

**Warnings: Violence, Torture, Character Death-you have been warned!**

**Always**

**Tempest**

* * *

Tom followed the magic until it dove down into a clearing between some trees. The purple blackness burst as it hit the barrier over a small looking one story cottage that lay nestled in the open space. Landing just outside the buzz of the wards, it took everything in him to try to think logically as the screams of his witch, screams he would never forget from the last time he had heard them, poured from the house and into the quiet night.

Putting his hand up to the ward he felt the magic sizzle along his skin and as it did the screaming stopped. Looking back up he had to grit his teeth as the face of Bellatrix Black came into view. Her hair was more wild and untidy than it normally was and the look in her eyes made him want to kill her where she stood. He had to figure out a way to get through the wards to Hermione and as he raised his wand to do so the front door opened and out stepped the current bane of his life.

"That won't work Lord Riddle. They are blood wards tied to my family. Only another Black can bring them down. I will gladly let you in as soon as you give me a few magically binding promises."

He never had to say a word as Sirius landed next to him, cut his palm open without a care and slammed it against the barrier, his voice ringing loudly in the still of the night.

"No!"

Just as she started to turn back to the house, the ward fell and with a speed he had never seen her bother to reach, Acanthara landed and cast, flinging Bellatrix away from the door and out further into the yard.

"You made a grave mistake kidnapping my charge Trixie! She is under the protection of the Prince, Riddle, and Avery families! As her magical mother I claim rights to your punishment and I demand death!"

Watching the duel begin Tom kept his eye on the house as two more wizards ran out into the yard. Allowing Avery and Severus to take one each as Nyx bent to help heal her husband and protect him from the weakness such a spell as breaking blood wards carried, he marched to the front door and into the house.

The scene before him wiped all possible logic or rational out of his mind as he watch the Alpha wolf he had allowed to stay in charge grope Hermione and her whimper in pain and fear as he did. Without hesitation he flung the wolf off of her as he took a step in her direction.

"Lupin…tear that blackguard to pieces! No one touches my dove and lives."

Her eyes never strayed from him as he heard Lupin growl low in his throat, stalking towards the downed male. Trying to reign in his temper he didn't hear the footsteps at all. The widening of Hermione's eyes had him turning but he knew he wasn't going to make it in time. Then there were small arms around his waist and he was falling backwards and to the side as she flung all of her weight on overbalancing them. Not being in control of the fall he landed hard with her under him and the breath whooshed out of her mouth and across his neck.

Raising his wand he threw the newcomer back out the door with a powerful knockback jinx and watched him disappear through the door. Using the moment he pushed up off the ground and pulled Hermione up with him. Keeping a shield between him and the rest of the room he turned to take her in.

"Miss Granger…are you okay?"

"You came…"

Her voice was the softest of whispers but the awe in her tone traveled without issue into his ear and straight to his heart. Gathering her into his arms he held her tight to his chest and was surprised when she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his robes.

"You say that like you imagined I would."

He felt her body tense some and tremble against him but didn't have time to ask her why as Lupin with Greyback in tow crashed through the front window and out into the yard. The sounds of snarling and growling were accompanied by the sizzle of spells, some very dark in nature from the shouting, broke the spell they were under. Setting her safely back from him he gave her his spare wand and then moved out into the yard to take in the chaos.

"Stay here dove. I'll be right back."

Lupin had pushed Greyback all the way into the trees and with his pack mates surrounding the pair to keep them caged in he was methodically ripping the slightly large Alpha wolf to shreds. Strips of flesh hung from his body and multiple wounds gaped open as the younger Alpha partially shifted and used teeth and claws to tear at the older one.

Severus and James were back to back dueling with six different wizards…all of whom Tom knew to be relatives to the pureblood families that had moved away from England when the changes started to happen. A sight he never thought to see, he watched for a moment in pride as the two young men shifted with each other in a beautiful and deadly dance of magic and sheer determination. Potter would be able to count himself forgiven after this night.

Nyx had engaged with two other witches that had appeared and had left Sirius to help protect Acanthara from being surrounded by another two wizards who looked to be helping Bellatrix. Kingsley and his Aurors were busy keeping some of Greyback's pack distracted and out of the fight near the house.

He couldn't see Lucius, Regulus, or Dolohov but he could hear fighting going on behind the cottage too. Deciding it was time to end this before it got out of control Tom waded into the fighting, moving to take out several of the ones surrounding his son and James Potter before moving on to helping Nyx by stunning one of the witches and leaving her to enjoy finishing off the other.

Spinning and blocking, casting and shielding, as another enemy stepped in his path him systematically took them down using the darkest spells he knew that would cause pain but not kill. He didn't want to have to face the Wizengamot over any unnecessary deaths. Kicking one of the werewolves who had broken through back before hitting him with a slicing spell, he froze in horror as Acanthara cried out in pain. Turning his head he watched her block another spell from someone he thought was on their side.

Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange stood to each side of Bellatrix and they were backing Sirius and Acanthara towards the back of the house, Sirius half-carrying Acanthara as she clutched her chest where a very familiar spell had sliced her open. Severus' bellow of rage caused both brothers to pause and as he flew towards them in a billow of fury, their deaths in his eyes, Sirius pulled Acanthara behind him and did what he could to protect her as she collapsed to the ground.

* * *

Hearing his wife's cries of pain Severus stopped playing by the rules and cut the wizard to the right from nose to navel with a sectumsempra and the one to his left with a slicing cut across the throat. As both fell he turned only to bellow in rage as he realized his own spell had been used against the love of his life. Pushing his body beyond the exhaustion it was already starting to feel, he sprinted across the yard, past his father who had turned in that direction, and slammed full body into the Lestrange brothers. All three of them went down in a tangle of robes and limbs and without thought he cast Avada with his wand right up against one of them.

Rolling with the reflexes Tom had taught him, he was up on his feet and running to Acanthara's side, sliding to the ground as he trusted Potter and Black to protect them as he healed her. She had lost a lot of blood already and her pale face made his hands shake as he started to sing the counter spell to heal her. She kept her eyes on him and with shallow breaths she whispered that she loved him. Knowing she didn't think she was going to make it he didn't respond but kept singing as he watched the blood roll along the ground and back into her body.

The sounds of battle faded away as her beautiful eyes brightened with life and her skin resumed a healthy shade. Her breathing steadied and as the last of the wound sealed, he collapsed with his head against her chest, his tears falling freely into her torn robes. He felt her soft hand caress his hair and then his face before he was kissing her with all the fear and love that was overwhelming him.

The broken cry of denial that echoed across the night in his father's voice jerked him from his stolen moment with his wife as he looked up in time to see Avery appear standing in front of Hermione.

* * *

"If he refuses to be mine…I will never allow him to be yours you filthy little mudblood bitch! He was destined to be with me!"

The deranged shriek pulled his eyes from the battle with his son only to see Bellatrix had turned and was raising her wand towards the house. It felt like slow motion as he followed the direction of her wand to see Hermione standing in the doorway with his spare wand gripped in her hands and pointed at a wizard she had just stunned. Her eyes were large and looked too big for her face in that moment as her triumph bled to terror. He started to move knowing he was never going to make the distance in time as the words left the demented witches mouth and a green flash left her wand heading with unerring speed towards his heart.

For a moment he flashed to her being attacked and tortured by Voldemort and then burning alive in front of him and his entire being screamed in denial even as he watched the green light slide closer and closer. In the very next moment he watched Hermione disappear behind the form of Avery as he materialized from the smoke to stand in front of her.

His eyes met those of his best friend and he saw the knowledge and acceptance of what was about to happen. As the spell slammed into Avery, Tom watched the warmth and the life go out of his eyes. He heard Hermione cry out in denial as she wrapped her arms around Avery to try to slow his fall. His heart stopped beating in his chest before shattering with what felt like an audible sound. The darkness swallowed him whole as he turned from the body of his brother to the witch who had taken him away.

The crucio that left his lips was calm and cold, the rage inside his body turning to glaciers of ice as he lost his hold on the humanity he held to so tightly. Her screams did not register in his mind nor did the movements around him. He was no longer a thinking rational being but a beast, a monster whose sole purpose in life was to tear and swallow this bitches soul piece by tiny piece until every part of her was cast into the abyss.

* * *

Holding on to Severus, Acanthara watched as the light drained from her father-in-law's entire being and the monster that Severus had shown her in his memories filled every available space inside him. Not caring if it put her at risk she scrambled to her feet and ran to her father's side. Hermione had managed to fall with him landing in her lap and she was holding on to him as if for dear life; her wailing grief a mournful symphony that tainted the silent night.

Seeing her father's eyes so blank when they would normally look at her with such tender care and love, Acanthara lost the hold on her own emotions and laid her head on his stomach as she joined in the tearful lamenting her magical charge had sunk into.

At the death of the Lestrange brothers and Greyback, the rest of those who had survived had fled just as Tom had turned his wand on Bellatrix. Knowing they were beat and going to be hunted they turned tail and tried to get as far away as possible before _he_ noticed them. When asked later in a statement of the night, one would say he fled because he saw Death standing in the clearing and wanted no part in the plan anymore.

James, Sirius, and Nyx went to the back of the house to find Dolohov keeping Regulus and Lucius alive at the same time while shielding from any other possible attacks. All three hurried to help him, leaving out what was going on up front for the moment.

Kingsley cast a silencing spell around his Aurors and the prisoners they had taken at the first scream that ripped from Bellatrix Black's mouth. Ushering them all away from the scene he used the excuse of transporting the wolves to the Bulgarian authorities to get his own people away from witnessing something they would never be able to unsee or forget.

* * *

The rush of his magic thickened as the liquid darkness of the spell he was casting repeatedly rolled leisurely through his veins and ignited every single pleasure sensor he had. His heart may have felt like ice but his body felt like it was slowly burning from the inside out in desire. Just as the peak of his pleasure became too intense he would release the spell only to cast it again and sink into the buildup of pure rapture letting it take him away again.

In this state the only thing there was was his magic, him, and the witch screaming beneath his wand…her screams having given way to hoarse cries as her throat scraped raw from her pain. He wasn't even sure at this point why he was torturing her, only that she had done something to anger him and he was going to make her pay until there was nothing left of her mind to harm or break.

He had a moment to remember there was a reason he didn't need to be casting this spell or any others like it but that thought was washed away on another peak that shot straight to his cock. Groaning slightly at the feeling he wished he had a witch on her knees at this very moment so he could enjoy fully the experience he was drowning in.

Severus watched his father, the man he had grown up to trust and respect fall into disrepair as his grief over losing his best friend took away the human he had become. Knowing he had no other choice and hoping she survived the binding without being completely of age in her magic yet, he reached into his robes and took out a journal that he kept on his person at all times. Squeezing his wife's shoulder and kissing her head one more time he scooted around Avery's body to the sweet girl he had grown to love and care for as one of his own. He could only pray this worked or they were all dead.

"Miss Granger…I am so sorry love but I don't have a choice anymore."

Her watery eyes rose to look at his in confusion but with the same trust that she had given him from day one. That look broke his heart as he knew he was about to hurt her.

"I have adored every second we have had with you and I do not know how this is going to affect you but I need HG back now and you are our only way to her."

Flicking his hand he stunned her and he watched the betrayal flash in her eyes as she fell backwards. Lifting her hand he used his wand to carve the same symbol his father and Avery had made him draw over and over to perfection into her hand. Opening the journal he paced her bleeding hand against the pages and let his magic flow through him and into the point where they touched.

"With blood and magic you were drained from your vessel and caged to keep you safe. With blood and magic I call you forth into a new vessel and grant you freedom."

The journal began to smoke and as the smell of burning flesh hit his nose Severus pulled back bringing his grieving wife with him.

"Sev…what did you do?"

Her words were horror filled as they both watched the young girl's eyes light with what looked like white fire, her screams kept silent by the stunning spells and her body stuck and unable to move or fight. A ghostly figure appeared behind her, an older and more worn version of her whose mouth opened in a silent scream as the fire leaped from one to the other and engulfed them both.

There was no heat at all but just the bright light and as that reached a pinnacle it burst and faded as quickly as it had come. Hermione lay heaving in ragged breaths as the spell released her small body and she pulled her hand back healed but scarred with the ritual drawing. Tracing it carefully with her finger she sat up before eyeing him and Acanthara.

The renewed scream of the witch being tortured just feet away pulled her attention and with wide eyes she shook her head back and forth.

"No…she can't have him! We are going to talk about that massive amount of pain later Professor Snape."

Jumping to her feet she took two steps before she stumbled and clutched at her head. Looking back down into his shocked face she grimaced.

"Or I guess I should say Headmaster Prince…or do I just call you magic Dad now?"

Her sarcasm was noted and not appreciated but he didn't have a chance to shake off his surprise to speak before she was moving again. With absolutely no fear she walked right up to Tom and placed her hand on his arm.

* * *

Tom focused back to the present as a gentle hand touched his sleeve. His anger spiked at someone daring to get between him and his victim before he was done with her. Just as he started to turn his wand on the intruder, her sweet voice and her long lost words reached in and shoved the darkness back to the back of his mind leaving him feeling hollow and dizzy.

"Baby Boy…you need to stop. This is not you anymore. I know she killed Avery but please don't let her take you from us…from me."

His head snapped up to look into the honey eyes he had grown to love so much and in them he saw a depth of emotion and recognition he had been waiting over fifty years for. All other things forgotten he turned to face her, his eyes roaming over every inch of her face as he tried to get his brain to catch up with what his heart already sensed.

The scream of rage from beside them had him yanking her away and as the witch stood from the ground, wand moving to point at them he knew he had made a mistake in letting her live.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The shouted spell had not come from his mouth nor from the mouth of any he would have expected. No…the witch in his arms was trembling in fury as she watched Bellatrix fall, her eyes cold and empty.

"She has hurt someone I love for the last Merlin damned time!"

"HG?"

He hated how tentative he sounded as he said it but that small flicker of hope was trying to burn him alive. Her eyes when she met his lit with a smile before her mouth followed and with a chuckle she touched his face.

"Nice to see you stayed handsome this time TMRJ. I would have been very disappointed if my future husband was missing a nose and was part snake."

His smile bloomed to match hers and he started to pull her in before she placed a hand on his chest to stop him.

"I have one thing I have to do before I get lost in your kiss again."

Reaching under her shirt she pulled out what looked like a common little hourglass necklace. With a wave of her borrowed wand it grew until the time turner was revealed. With a devilish look in her eyes she winked and started to turn the dials.

"See you in a sec love."


	34. Chapter 34-Remaking Time

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**This would have been up way earlier but my Coven of hilarious witches kept me distracted all day! So you can blame Moon, Claw, Snow, Vine, and our newest member Nyxx for all the ridiculousness that kept me from posting two chapters today lol. Though it was a blast guys and we should do it again...often!**

**Warnings: Uh death, destruction, mayhem because its all I know lately apparently! You have been warned!**

**On with the drama! OH and you guys will be getting 2 extra chapters because this fic is for Moon and she has an OCD about even and round numbers and the idea of 38 was driving her batty. So I agreed to give her 40! You can all thank her and bow and scrape at her feet lol.**

**Always**

**Tempest**

**P.S. I don't own anything that JK owns and any mistakes you can lay at the Coven's feet cause I could NOT focus on my story when editing lmfao**

* * *

Hermione watched as Tom's eyes filled with denial before the world spun into a blur and the time turner began to pull her backwards. She felt her heart slow and her blood start to trickle to a stop. Her breath stalled in her lungs as the world rewound itself to where she had asked to go. She had never read anyone describing what time travel felt like but it was a very disconcerting feeling to be sure. While the space around you reversed, your own body seemed to stop altogether as if in waiting for the tick of the clock once more.

However, as her surroundings spun faster and faster Hermione had a sensation of cold fingers running up her back. Even with everything inside of her being kept on hold she shivered from the sensation and rolled her eyes the best she could to try to see what might have caused the feeling. Just as her head was starting to turn to look behind her, a difficult feat in slow motion, the spinning seemed to cease inside the bubble traveling this way created though the world stayed a blur.

Stepping from the blurred chaos, Hermione took in the handsome face that was completely ruined by the empty eye sockets. Her heart rate spiked, beating a rhythm of fear inside her chest and crawling up her throat. She had never heard of anything being able to interrupt time travel and had no idea how to deal with this new threat. And it was a threat…she could feel it…from the empty sockets that were beginning to glow with a black flame, to the bone chilling air that circled around the figure and cut across her arms and legs like razor blades.

Trying to force her body into compliance so she could at least try to defend herself, she released a groan of pain mixed with a whimper of fear as the man…wraith…reached out to touch her face. When he spoke his voice made her feel like her ears were bleeding and her very soul was being shredded bit by bit with a slicing hex. Her scream of agony was silenced with a wave of his hand as her lungs ceased to move again.

"All of this is wrong. I am owed my due and was promised it with your return. The black haired witch will pay dearly for disrupting that plan. Now you must put it to rights if you wish to live and be allowed to retain your memories in this new life Hermione Granger."

Unable to pull her eyes from his burning sockets she felt herself fall into the abyss of his eyes until the pain ceased and she felt like she was floating on an invisible sea of warmth and comfort. She knew somehow that this was the space the dead went until they could be sorted to their own personal paradise or hell. Closing her eyes as hands slid along her sides and then arms wrapped around her and pulled her up against a hard body of pure masculine form that made her shiver for a different reason, she waited to see what came next. The only person who had ever held her so tightly or closely to their body had been Tom…and she was ashamed at her reaction because she knew that it wasn't him holding her but couldn't seem to find the strength to pull away.

"I needed your entire focus lovely witch and my presence in your world is painful for mere mortals. Welcome to my dreamscape…a place you should have entered a long time ago but for your meddling lover and his intervention. Though I am tempted to keep you here, as I have not had a female of any species react so invitingly towards me in a very long time, my services of you require that I let you go."

"The wizarding world gained bits of me many, many years ago that should never have been created. I was still young and careless and did not understand my place well enough yet. Those items are known to you as the Deathly Hallows. Your intended has managed to collect all three of them over the years while waiting for you. He believed after much research that it was the only way to make you truly whole in his world again and he was correct."

One hand moved up between her breasts to wrap gently around her neck. She couldn't help the slight moan that slipped passed her lips as her core throbbed in need.

"He isn't sure I can hear him but he has tried to talk to me and I have listened. He has created a ritual to bring back your memories and is willing in this ritual to trade a piece of your old soul from your original time line for a piece of your new soul and the Hallows. In exchange he wants me to mend the two pieces of your soul so that you are whole in both realms and allow you to keep memories from both lives."

His other hand slowly moved further south until there was pressure just above the space between her thighs and with a will born from being a Gryffindor she fought not to willingly open herself to him.

"Now my lovely Hermione Granger…I want my Hallows…BACK!"

The kindness in his touch turned to a burning cold as he spun her around to face him, the hand at her throat tightening more.

"And you are going to make sure that happens. Tom Riddle has already pushed my patience once and you saved him from that. Now you will save him once more by making sure I get what he has promised. You are going to go back with the time turner but you are not going to let it play out like it already did. You are going to alter what happened to make sure that meddling bitch and your billowing bat do not rush the rituals or time line. Do I make myself clear little witch?"

She swallowed the whimper of fear that was trying to crawl up her sternum and grabbed hold of her courage with both hands.

"Witches or Wizards who mess too heavily with time pay an awful price! What if I end up getting more people killed or make the situation worse?"

"You are a smart little thing. I have no doubt you will know how to make sure everything ends as it should and not as it did."

"Time itself could possibly fight me or ruin what you want me to do."

"I can assure you that will not happen. You see little one…what most people do not realize is time is not a single entity but several of the more primal elements watching over the fragile nature of the time lines. I happen to be one of those primal beings and I already have the rest in agreement to allow this so that I can get what was lost…back."

"Do we have a deal Hermione Granger?"

Staring into his eyes as the flames start to burn brighter she can feel the pain flowing back into her as the dreamscape starts to vanish from around her.

"If I say no?"

"That would be unwise if you wish to have a chance at life with your beloved Riddle."

"Then yes…we have a deal."

"Very good little lion. You are as smart as the rumors portray you to be. I wish you luck sweet Hermione…fail me and I shall enjoy keeping you in my grasp for many centuries after your death."

With those last menacing words whispered along her ear, Hermione is spun back into the time vortex and spit out into the front yard with just a split second to disillusion herself before Tom landed in front of the house. Carefully moving and positioning herself she waits for the moment she knows she will need to intervene, her eyes watching with awe and happiness as she gets to see all who have lived a life without the suffering, protecting and fighting for, the man she loves.

* * *

Curse after curse flew through the air…the sweat ran down her brow as she shielded from yet another debilitating spell thrown by the little bitch of a blood traitor. She had not expected so many to come to the defense of one little mudblood and Lady Prince was a more formidable foe than she anticipated. Her reserve witches and wizards had entered the fray as instructed and it had helped to even the odds on the field of battle but she was waning and could see her bastard of a cousin making his way closer and closer to her position.

Remembering all the dueling practice she had done with Lucius and Severus and her cousins, she waited for the opening she needed. She was going to teach his Lord Prince-ness on high what happened when you turned down the more worthy advances of a pureblood witch of the truly ancient and noble house of Black for some little pauper Avery witch…and she was going to use his own spell to do it.

Her chance came just as she was nicked on the leg by a stray spell from Sirius and she couldn't help but cackle in glee. Her two pets…both the dumb oafs vying for her affection and attention…came around from their fight in the back of the cottage and distracted her target. That moment was all she needed as she thrust her wand violently at Acanthara…hissing out _Sectumsempra _and watching as a deep cut sliced up along the witch's abdomen and stopped just above her breasts. The cry of pain and the look of shock made her blood rush giddily in her veins and the smile she delivered as she raised her wand to finish her off was full of victory.

Of course then her shit of a cousin had to go and ruin everything by jumping in to shield the blasted witch and forcing her to have to retreat slightly. He had trained with the rest of the Black's and she knew that was not a fight her waning strength had time to finish. Nodding at the Lestrange twins, she took off away from those two. They were not why she was here and as it seemed Lord Riddle would not be smart in taking her offer…she was going to have to remove that little mudblood once and for all.

Seeing her chance come as Severus and Riddle were distracted at trying to get to Acanthara, she moved towards the house only to have the little upstart appear with a wand in hand to stun one of her soldiers. Her anger doubled and as she looked at her beloved once more and realized the only thing in his eyes was the determination to destroy her vision of the future, she yelled her disappointment and fury at the cause of it all as she raised her wand.

"If he refuses to be mine…I will never allow him to be yours you filthy little mudblood bitch! He was destined to be with me!"

Just as the words started to form on her lips she felt soft hands touch her face and the top of her head. A sharp and brutal wrench later and she knew no more as her body went limp and fell to the ground. No one heard her terrified screams as black flames engulfed her soul and dragged her away from the material plane and deep into a pit of utter agony and darkness.

* * *

Hermione winced as she had to stand by and watch the woman she looked at like a mother take that awful spell to the chest and stomach. She was going to have words one day with Severus bloody Snape over that one! What was he thinking allowing anyone to learn that spell outside their trusted circle. There was no way Tom would have counted Bellatrix Lestrange as part of that trust no matter how changed she may have seemed.

Though the deranged look in her eyes now did not speak well to any change at all and she wondered if she had residual memories too with how close she had been to the Dark Lord. It would explain how she turned out so different when her memories of this life showed her the world was changed…better…than the one she had left behind. Watching the Lestrange brothers take over trying to kill Sirius and Acanthara and trusting Death to keep his end of the deal she moved across the battle field, brushing Tom's hand as she went. Putting herself behind the witch she was after she waited until the fateful words were spoken that would cause such heart break. As she watched Tom's eyes turn from what he though was his new chance at love to the one who planned to take her away, Hermione's own anger at the injustice of the moment reared its ugly head and instead of using magic she used the move her Uncle had taught her just before she had ended up dying in the journal.

Placing her hands at the correct points of her head, Hermione used all of her strength and twisted. The snapping of the witch's neck was a satisfying sound that seemed to pour cool water over the burning rage inside. As Bellatrix dropped at her feet, she swore she could see the black flames of Death's eye cover and sink into her body. Realizing she could see her hands and that she was visible, she pulled her gaze up to stare into the astonished eyes of her baby boy. Knowing she didn't have long she smiled at him before opening her mind and letting it fall into his the same way they always used to do.

He seemed surprised and unable to react with any distrust at seeing her face and as his mind captured hers she let everything that was supposed to unfold just now run in flashes behind their eyes. She showed him Avery's death, Severus' sacrifice of the journal, her resurrection, and finally Death's anger and demand for appeasement. As the last memory finished she let the connection fall away and came back into her body. The tears tracking down Tom's face as he looked from her to Avery and back were enough for her to know she had done the right thing.

"I don't have long before time rights itself…again. Hopefully it will hurt less this time. Your plan…it's the right choice. Follow through with it and know I am waiting exactly as you hoped inside the journal for you."

His feet beat a hasty path across the yard as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips none too gently against hers. The kiss was full of longing and passion and utter desperation and Hermione responded in kind, taking all of his long held pain and want and giving back her acceptance and love.

"I miss you so must Hermione. It feels like lifetimes ago that you were in my arms. How am I supposed to let you go now?"

His voice was a plea for understanding, for her to stay and she knew that couldn't happen now.

"I know baby boy…I know. Just a few more years like you planned and then follow your ritual. I was promised it would work and then I will be with you and I will never leave you again. I have the memories of this life you created Tom…you gave me everything you promised. You stayed a light grey for me and you found a way around aging without all the death and destruction of your soul."

Pulling back to hold his face in her hands with her teary eyes locked onto his, Hermione gave him the most loving and bright smile she could.

"You promised me the day I died that you would rebuild the world into something I could be happy in and it would be your way of laying it at my feet. For the first time in my life I feel like a queen whose king conquered all just for me. Now let's finish that path right so we can enjoy our kingdom together…okay?"

The pain in his eyes almost forced her to rethink the plan but she knew it was right so she held her tongue. His eyes closed for a moment and when he opened them the pain was gone…shoved behind his walls…and only his determination was visible.

"One year dove! I am giving the new you one year to be ready and then I am calling you back to me…damn the consequences of propriety!"

"I can agree to that and you will find my love…so will she."

Tapping her head to indicate she knew, she can't help but smile at the pleasure that seems to give him.

"What young and blossoming girl could resist your handsome face and polite manner? Not even the know-it-all war hardened Hermione Granger could…how was a more protected and loved version of me supposed to?"

Her question caused him to chuckle and as she smiled at him she felt an odd rolling sensation in the pit of her stomach. Pulling out of his arms she shares one more soft smile as the rolling sensation happens again and she vanishes.

For the longest time Tom stands and stares at the spot she had stood before turning his head as a hand gently clasped his shoulder. His eyes met those of Avery and with his walls already trying to crumble Tom did something he had never done before. He turned and pulled Avery in to a very tight brotherly hug, the other man grunting at the force. After only a moment of hesitation he returned the hug before both men stepped back.

"I'm not sure what I missed that caused you to willingly hug me but I would love to know one day. I have taken care of the young Misses memory of this moment. I didn't think it wise to allow her to remember seeing a twin of herself. Kingsley and the Aurors have all the captured ready for transport and will be sending the Bulgarian authorities back for the bodies. Is there anything else you need me to handle at this time?"

Tom just gave him a grateful smile and shook his head no. Avery bowed at the waist slightly and turned to go embrace his daughter who he had almost lost this night and to thank his son-in-law for being such a brave and loving husband.

Tow watched his family and friends all gather together to celebrate their victory and he couldn't help be consider the fact that once again if his dove had not flown in like she tended to do…this night would have ended so very differently. Glancing over at the current Miss Granger and watching her laugh up at Sirius and James as they praised her in silly ways for her wondrously 'stunning' power he couldn't help but think only one thing.

_One more year to go and she…is…mine!_


	35. Chapter 35-Tis the Season

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know...I know...where have I been. I do apologize but the last few days have been...not conducive to writing this story or any other. I have been hibernating and binge watching random shows while waiting on my muse to stop hiding from my evil side. I woke up today with her pouncing around with Tibirus( my plot tiger) in my head and knew I could write today. This chapter is not at all what I had planned but then when is it ever anymore?**

**Warnings: A ridiculous amount of fluffy Hufflepuff-y-ness happening. I think I took one too many badgers pills...don't tell my Coven or High Priestess Moon will confiscate them...again!**

**I promise this story will get back to Tom and HG...at some point lol. I will not exceed my 40 chapters...I will not exceed my 40 chapters! (my inner mantra right now)**

**Hope you all enjoy and be sure to watch for our title fics over at .Hiss or any of my coven's wonderful delights on their own personal profiles. Our newest member Vine has one she is writing that goes under our 'Shoot the Moon' challenge...funny stuff! You can find her (TinkerVine) and my other coven members under my favorite authors list (Slytherclaw, Acantha Rayne Oak-Moon, Devon A. Snow, StephanieMVR).**

**Always**

**Tempest**

**P.S. Relent1ess hun...have not heard from you in weeks! Give a girl a shout yeah? Missing you!**

* * *

Avery leaned against the wall, drink in hand, watching the festivities as they loudly continued all around him. His drink, some odd mix Nyx had come up with that she called St. Nick's gumdrop brew, had his head spinning in a very pleasing way. He was glad to be able to just let his guard down and relax for a bit surrounded by friends and family. He had needed this for weeks now…ever since he was able to push Tom to tell him what had really happened that night. The knowledge that he had died…or almost, had it not been for his Lord's future bride…had shaken him to his very core.

He had always been ready to die to protect Tom or Hermione…well any of his family at this point. But to know it had happened and yet he had been saved because Hermione had not been able to watch the sorrow and pain of his death in Tom's eyes had opened his even wider. He knew Tom trusted him and saw him as a friend and maybe even a pseudo brother. He had never truly thought he mattered enough to have the man he had followed loyally for years break and lose his hold on his darkness…not for him…

The revelation had been shocking and life altering all in the blink of an eye. After he had seen the memories, he had stood back and been lost in thought only to have Tom pull him in again and hug him. The moment was unbelievably surreal but the words had been what had floored him and altered his view of his Lord and his life.

"_I have never had a better friend or more trusted companion outside of HG. I love her more than my own life and I would do anything to keep her happy and safe."_

_Pulling back to look him in the eye, Tom had given him a look of utter seriousness that did not allow for any debate or argument._

"_However, I am not willing to lose my only brother, who I happen to love dearly, in that manner. I know you have pledged your life to me after all the stuff you learned at Hogwarts. And I am more grateful than I can ever say for your faith and your friendship. With that being said…I am not willing to lose you to save her, myself, or anyone else Avery! Never…do…that…again!"_

He had wanted to argue but in the end the tears in Tom's eyes had won out and he had nodded his agreement. Looking across the drawing room now as Tom laughed at something his beautiful granddaughter said to him had Avery realizing that would be the first order he would disobey if ever the chance arose again. He would not allow such a strong, powerful, and brave wizard to lose those he loved and held so dear over someone older like himself. The kids and even his sweet HG had so much more life ahead of them and if there ever came another to try to upset that balance and happiness…Avery knew he would die to protect it…probably even more fiercely now than the first time.

With that thought in mind, he set his empty cup down and smiled as it vanished…Tom's house elves were very efficient after all…and turned to stride across the room to the only other person who was at this very moment sitting alone. Sitting down beside her without even a polite acknowledgement, Avery didn't give her a chance to speak before he set into her.

"If you wish to have any peace or true happiness Mrs. Potter…you really are going to need to get over whatever tale you have made up in your head and move on from hating Lord Riddle. He has been nothing but polite and giving to you and your family and you have abhorred him since day one for it. I do not know why but it will stop or I will see you banned from any and all gathering from this day forth."

Her gasp of outrage made him turn his head to look at her. Her eyes glared daggers at him but he could only find the energy to give her a drool look before raising an eyebrow in warning.

"I have heard all about your little moments of rebellion. Trying to talk Severus into leaving Acanthara and turning on Tom because he is 'evil'. Throwing yourself at him as if you had some chance to lure him away from my daughter. You are not and have never been even half the witch my daughter is and you never will be. The very fact that a married witch would do such a thing is disgusting and appalling. You are lucky they did not tell Tom or you would have found yourself without husband, job, or home."

She opened her mouth to retort and Avery waved his hand and watched as her mouth snapped shut and sealed that way.

"You will not speak! You will listen! Grown-ups are talking right now and children should learn to keep their mouths shut!"

Reigning in his temper he made sure she couldn't get up from her seat either before continuing.

"I know you think he is going to turn on everyone and become some evil, dark wizard. You are so blinded by your insanity that you can't even see what is right in front of you. The only one in danger of him turning on…is you. You are threatening everything he has built and his family. That is the one thing Tom will always put before even being a light wizard…those he loves."

Looking out over the crowd he can't help but smile as he watches young Harry try to dance with Chara Black, his cheeks stained pink in shyness but his eyes filled with Gryffindor determination. Chara for her part was playing the possibly interested but maybe disinterested pureblood witch but her eyes were so soft it was hard for Avery to look at. It was times like this he missed his wife so very much.

"Your feelings are possibly a residual effect just like Hermione and Harry's….past lives that are not quite gone. It's a sign of a strong magical trauma for it to have carried over to this life. You may very well be right…in another life for you, Tom may have been this evil, awful Dark Lord and he may have hurt and killed a lot of people. I don't know…I don't have anything like that when I am near him. But whoever you are superimposing on him…it is not him."

"Look at your son Lily. He is healthy and happy and growing to be such a fine young man. Not that he knows it fully yet but he has the attention and the heart of the Black Princess and I am pretty sure will have no trouble getting her hand in marriage when he finally works up the nerve to ask for it. You are surrounded by people who love and adore your husband and son and would be willing to treat you the same if you would just allow it. You are not among enemies here…you just create them in your own head."

"Tom would never hurt Harry. Hermione thinks of him like a brother. Chara, who is Severus' goddaughter, is in love with him. Tom has taken to teaching him personally during summer breaks so he can pursue his career as an Auror with confidence. Lord and Lady Malfoy have been more than gracious in taking all the boys in and letting them learn business and etiquette so they can keep the traditions and honor of the Sacred Twenty-Eight moving into the future. You have never wanted for anything since you married James Potter and you never will…unless you continue to push like you are doing."

Running his hand through his hair, realizing it had gotten a touch too long without a woman to tend to him and care for him and remind him of his grooming needs…which he used to let slide just so his lovely angel would harp on him about it in her sweet way…he released Lily from his spells and stood.

"It's still not too late to join the family and find some joy and peace in your life Lily. All you have to do is stop fighting a battle that doesn't even exist."

With that final parting he headed back across the room, his eyes meeting Tom's curious ones and giving him a slight nod that they will talk later. His destination reached he asked if he could cut in and proceeded to twirl his daughter around the room as her laughter rang like music in his ears. He remembered all the times he had done this when she was younger and even as she started into her teens and she would always give that same laugh of amusement and fun. That laugh was going to be the background in his own personal paradise when he did finally leave this world.

She was so much like her mother and yet so very hard headed like he was. It was amazing to see how she had grown to be so like both of them when he had been the only one to be around to raise her. He loved that she had enough of her mother through his memories to take on some of her traits…it kept her alive and with them. His heart aching and not wanting her to see, he turned his eyes from hers to watch the room as they danced and spun only to trip slightly and have to stop as his gaze landed on the woman being greeted at the door.

Unlike his late wife, she was a tiny little thing. She couldn't have been more than a few inches over five feet. Her light brown hair reminded him of his favorite caramel candies he bought in the muggle world. Though the cut and style reminded him of a pixie or one of the other fae. She had creamy pale skin that look soft to the touch even from a distance. It brought to mind silk spilling over the body as two people tumbled together in the throes of passion. He didn't know the color of her eyes yet but as they turned and met his…he suddenly needed desperately to know.

Without realizing it he had released his beloved daughter and had started to walk across the room without thought. Acanthara calling his name barely even registered in his brain though the lilt of amusement in her tone did spark a moment of wonder before it faded away as the beauty before him entranced him further. Finally reaching her after what felt like an eternity, Avery forgot all of his Slytherin training and with the subtly of a Gryffindor he took her hand and bowed over it, his lips barely brushing her knuckles as he looked up into her laughing grey eyes. He was struck by their color…like the sky just before a clean rain falls and like the Earth in that moment he felt all the sorrow and pain wash clean from his soul.

"Good evening my lady. I am Lawrence Avery, Lord of the Ancient and Noble house of Avery. May I be so honored as to ask your name?"

His voice has dropped to a husky note even he wasn't used to hearing outside his own bedroom. The shine of a smile in her eyes traveled to her mouth as her full, pouty lips lifted into a grin that went right through his heart and straight to a much more primitive part of him.

"I am Lady DeVigne, Lord Avery…but if you like you may call me Angel."

Standing to meet her eyes again and realizing how petite she truly was he had the almost undeniable urge to pull her close and protect her with his very life. Taking a small step closer, he felt the words tumble to his lips and out before he could possibly have stopped them.

"I would like it more Angel if I could call you mine."

The shock he felt on the inside did not appear at all on her face or in her expression. Instead her smile widened and she let a small giggle free that had his heart tripping over itself in his chest and his ability to breathe became almost impossible to maintain.

"You are in luck Lord Avery as it seems my magic agrees wholeheartedly with you. I think I have been looking for you all of my adult life."

"Just Avery…and I had no idea I was looking for you until I saw you. Now...I'm not sure how I ever lived without you."

He felt movement around him and without realizing it he maneuvered his body so his own was protecting hers against any foes that may have approach. Shaking his head as that thought was not right and he knew it, his brows creased in confusion as he felt Tom's hands land gently on his shoulders and pull him back a few steps.

"Avery…are you okay mate? That is not your usual…greeting to a female…even a beautiful one."

"I apologize my Lord…I did not mean to offend you or your guest…she just…I just…"

His tongue felt tied up in his mouth and with that aggravation he snapped his teeth together as he shut his mouth and looked down to break the eye contact that he was drowning in.

"No Lord Riddle…it is I who needs to apologize."

"No! She did nothing wrong!"

The vehemence with which his entire being jumped to her defense scared him and with a look of fear he turned his eyes to Tom for answers.

"Hush you! As I was saying Lord Riddle it is my fault. I did not realize my fated was in the room or I would have toned down on the fae allure. Nyx invited me to come to the party as I have just arrived in England and have no other family with which to spend the holidays. It is a safety measure around humans to use the allure to stay protected and ensure no one gets any…unsavory ideas about touching me. I was so nervous and focused on meeting new people I did not think to scan for…him."

The way she said _him_ in that breathy tone of awe and arousal made his eyes snap back to her and with one look his fear melted away and the same need to hold her rolled back over him.

"What is wrong with my brother? He seems almost…entranced…like the Veela can cause in a human male."

"Veela are cousins to the fae. Where they entrance all but their fated match…a full blooded fae born…such as myself…only entrances their mate. I assure you Lord Riddle…the feeling goes both ways."

He watched as even speaking to the most renowned and powerful wizard in England she did not take her eyes off of him.

"Nyx?"

"She is telling the truth Tom. Angel and I have been friends for most of our lives. She was in France with me during my apprenticeship on magical beings in the fae nation. She has been searching for her other half since she came of age and it is a rare thing for them to find one so soon. You will never have to worry about him being alone or lonely ever again…I promise."

Seeming satisfied with her answer, Tom released him and with that freedom he followed the urge that was driving him. Walking up to his beautiful little pixie he pulled her into his arms and kissed her as if the very air she held in her lungs had to be his too. He heard his daughter's sweet laugh and words just before the darkness swallowed them up and they apparated away together.

"Well then…Happy Yule father."


	36. Chapter 36-Whole Once More

**Greetings my fellow Secret Keepers!**

**I have very little to say because I want you to get right to this chapter lol. Thank you again to all the favorites, followers, and reviews you lovely lovely people. This story has been fairly easy to write as it is always a buzz in my head but all your kind words and love and encouragement has made it even easier and an awesome experience.**

**Warning: I have been taking my 'Badger pills' as Moon likes to call these moments and I promised Diva I would warn her when I was having fluffy moments from now on. So here is the warning...Tall, Dark,and Creepy beings, rituals, and fluffy goodness ahead.**

**Enjoy and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!**

**Always**

**Tempest**

**P.S. For those waiting on me to say it, I finally posted on our Priestesses of Hiss account as well. You can find the way there in my favorite authors if you would like to read. I will only be posting once a story is complete over there so please go take a look at mine and my coven's works! 3**

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Tom stood back a bit from the rest of the group as usual. His nerves were shot and he was doing his best not to pace or let his impatience spill out over those here helping him. Avery was a few feet away talking quietly with Severus about the summoning circle. It had been decided…against Tom's wishes…that it would be safer if Severus performed the ritual and not Tom. All were worried that the guest of 'honor' would try to take Tom with him when he left again…and no one was willing to chance it.

It looked like everything was ready to go but still no one moved to get started and Tom's aggravation continued to grow inside his gut until he was ready to Avada the whole lot of them. He had no idea why he was so on edge. At least not until Acanthara came into view with his dove talking animatedly beside her. At that first sighting his entire body went into protection mode and he realized he was so on edge because he was afraid this would backfire in some way and he would lose everything in one fail swoop.

He watched her as she stopped just outside the ritual circle and looked around with a bit of trepidation in her eyes. Her eyes stopped roaming as they landed on him and she gave him a very shy smile…one that made him want to gather her up and keep her safe for the rest of time. Knowing he ritual had worked once without the rest of what he promised and keeping faith that Death would hold his end of this bargain…he gripped the tree he was leaning against as hard as he dared, the bark biting into his palms, and held himself from going to her.

Piece by piece Severus started to set the ritual into motion. With a flick of his hand the candles all lit at once. He gathered Hermione into his arms and as he walked her into the middle of the circle, he talked softly to her. Tom had no idea what he was saying but her eyes stayed on him and with each word spoken her gaze filled more and more with determination. Severus must have asked her if she was ready because she gave one sharp nod of assent before kneeling on the ground as instructed.

The Gaunt ring was placed on her left ring finger where her engagement ring would sit as soon as his HG was back and agreed to marry him. The cloak of invisibility was wrapped around her shoulders but left open so only her back disappeared from view. The elder wand was placed in her right hand and she was given a set of words to repeat over and over under her breath as Severus took hold of the knife in his side holder. Lifting her left palm as she began to recite the words he cut the same array of symbols into her hand, her voice strained as she grit her teeth against the pain and tried to keep repeating the mantra she was given. As her blood dripped from her palm to land on the cover of the journal in front of her, Severus said his own memorized words and placed her hand on the top of the book.

As the magic grabbed a hold of her and she was unable to let go, Severus rose from his kneeling position and left the circle, closing the very last bit of it in salt. The light under her skin became brighter and brighter until everyone had to close their eyes against the glare. Her words stopped as she let out a scream of indescribable pain before the light pulsed out from her to slam into everyone and the clearing went dark again.

As their eyes adjusted, Tom started forward only to be held back by Avery. His fear and worry spiked as he watched the figure caress his dove's cheek, her eyes were closed as her breathing came in slow, even inhales and exhales. She was no longer on her knees on the ground but hovering in the air, her face mere inches away from the face of Death himself. He could see small lines form along her arms and face and anywhere skin was exposed, blood starting to pool from the cuts before they would seal up again and reform.

Reaching out Death took the wand first, pushing back his sleeve to set it against the inside of his right forearm. As he did the wand melded into his skin and for a moment the black fire in his eyes became a dark blue flame before settling back to the black. Taking the ring from her finger he crushed it in his hand and as the dust fell to the ground the resurrection stone lay alone in his palm. Making a twirling gesture with his hand and fingers like a magician would make when rolling a coin, a gleaming black and silver scythe appeared in his hand. Tom felt the entire crowd freeze at the sight of it and collectively hold their breaths.

Placing the stone in a hole carved along the bladed edge they all watched as it reformed into the blade and disappeared from sight. Twirling it in the air like someone would twirl a baton, he released it and they watched as it turned to smoke and vanished. Lastly he took the cloak from around her back and flicked it with a sense of flare until it lay across his own back and shoulders. The cloak faded back into his ragged and torn robes until they reformed to look like the finest of silk draping his body.

His eyes never leaving Hermione, the pale figure turned his hand palm down toward the ground before rolling it palm up, his fingers closing one by one as if he were beckoning someone…which it turned out he was. A screaming specter rose from the ground, her eyes hollow without even the fire to hide it like Death's. The shade looked malnourished…as if the shell had been half starved before she had died and the soul had kept that emancipated look. But the face…that was unmistakable. He would know his war torn HG anywhere.

Seeing her in such a state, Tom couldn't help but beak out of Avery's hold and step to the very edge of the protection circle. His eyes he knew were shining with tears as her face turned and she gazed at him without her beautiful eyes. Her mouth opened as if to speak but the only sound to be heard was silence. Not getting another moment to try to get used to what he was seeing, Tom watched as the dark being thrust his pale hand into the body of the current Hermione and her whimper was silenced as Death stepped forward with the motion and was suddenly behind her floating body, her terrified soul in his grasp and her body limp in the air.

He could hear the gasps and sharp intakes of breath all around him as his family watched on as well. He kept his eyes on his HG and waited, barely willing to breathe at all. Death pulled the soul looking at him towards the other and as they met their mouths opened in silent agony. Tom fell to his knees as his legs wouldn't support him anymore, his tears falling slowly down his face as he watched. Once both had become one malformed shade, Death spoke words that shivered across his skin and left him feeling ill inside. The ethereal form began to shake and convulse, the mouth becoming two then one then two again, opened in a constant scream of pain. Death walked with his eerie grace in slow circles, his hands moving along the form of the shade, shaping the hips, the legs, the face, over and over as his voice rose to a volume that had everyone in the clearing on their knees holding their heads in agony.

The chanting ended abruptly just as Tom felt his ears begin to bleed and Death moved in and set his lips to the shades. Black fire lit in the hollow spots where her eyes should have been and with one last pull to both arms, one shade ripped into two. Both had one eye that looked out in confusion and terror while the other was filled with black flames. He released one and Tom watched it fall back into the earth with another silent scream as if it were falling a great distance. The other the being carefully pulled forward, walking through her limp body himself before pulling her soul back into place. Her mouth opened as she took a great gasping breath and began to shiver.

Pulling her into his arms, Death ran his hand over her curls, his entire demeanor that of soothing and comforting though the winces she kept making proved it to feel anything but soothing.

"You have your Hallows as agreed upon. Release my witch and be gone from here demon."

Those black fire eyes moved slowly up to meet his and Tom felt his very soul shiver and shrink back in fear.

"You are correct…you have returned my Hallows as promised and I have combined the two souls as I promised. However, I find that I enjoy having this petite little witch in my arms and I never said I would allow you to keep her once I made her whole again."

Coming to his feet with a cry of rage filled despair, Tom started to step over the circle only to be grabbed from both sides by Avery and Severus, both crying out in pain but holding on as he lashed out with his magic to try to get free. Stepping in front of him facing Death, Acanthara bowed her head in supplication, her voice low and filled with respect and a healthy dose of fear she addressed the immortal being.

"What is it you wish as payment to allow us to keep her?"

His laughter ran like freezing water along their bodies and they all shivered from it, Tom more so as his magic was wildly sparking…something that had not happened since he was a boy in Hogwarts all those years ago.

"You agreed to return all things that gave you power or dominion over my realm and yet your Lord holds the last one in his pocket as we speak. I may have my Hallows but I do not have everything. You wizards and witches always want to find ways to upset the balance and thwart death and I will not allow it any longer. Give me the stone Tom Riddle and I will give you your beautiful bride. Keep it from me and I will keep her for all eternity."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the Sorcerer's stone that had been bequeathed to him after the death of the great Nicholas Flamel. Pulling his precious daughter-in-law behind him he stepped forward again and held it up.

"I do not have the power or authority to give it to you. It was left to me with the promise on my very magic that I would give it to Hermione when she came of age to decide its fate. It must be her that agrees to give it to you."

Death grinned a very sinister grin and let his hand drift from her hair to her face, her lips turning a pale shade of blue as he lifted her chin so she would meet his eyes.

"My sweet Hermione…open your eyes."

Her lashes fluttered once, twice, before tears fell from the corners of her eyes and she slowly opened them to stare into the black depths before her. The shiver increased as she was swallowed whole into the fathomless abyss of the fire and her whimper was heart wrenching to hear. Surprise washed over Tom as the being frowned and with what looked like considerable effort, shifted and reformed until he looked like any other man…his figure tall and broad shouldered, dressed in what looked like a very fine cut muggle suit.

His face was that same chiseled cut as if he had been designed in marble and though he was still pale, it was not unnaturally so. His long raven hair fell in straight lines down his shoulders and back and seemed to move slightly as if in a breeze. His eyes though were what drew astonished murmurs from the crowd gathered in the clearing. Instead of a dark black which one would have expected, his eyes were a blue so deep they looked like the depths of the ocean. Tom was pretty sure the only reason they didn't look black was the ethereal glow behind them that highlighted the blue and made it stand out.

Hermione had stopped shivering and was clinging to his arms, her eyes wide in shock and her cheeks tinting a lovely shade of pink…well it would have been lovely if that infernal being was not who she was looking out. His jealousy flaring, Tom growled under his breath before speaking.

"Her damn eyes are open! Ask her for what it is you want so we can be done with this exchange! And stop looking at my wife like she is available for you to devour or I swear I will find a way to end you!"

At his voice, Hermione's trance was broken as she jerked her head in his direction. Her face, which a moment ago had been slack with enchanted wonder, lit with an inner glow as she smiled at him.

"Tom?"

"Hello Dove. Could you kindly agree that Death can have this Salazar forsaken stone so he will take his ghastly hands off of you and return you to me as he has promised?"

Her brows drew down in confusion as she stared from him to the stone to Death and back.

"If he gets the stone then you will grow old from here on out and die."

It was obvious she was completely baffled at his request and with a slow forming smile he held it out on his palm.

"Dove…I had every intention of doing just that as soon as you were of age and you and I could start a life together. I have no want to stay young and live forever when I could grow old with you and then spend eternity with you once we leave this place. I don't have the ability to give him the stone or I already would have. I don't care about immortality anymore…I only care about having you in my arms again."

Her eyes melted into liquid pools of love as she kept her gaze locked on his and that love poured down her face in drops of moon kissed tears. Letting go of Death with one hand she summoned the stone to her own hand and held it up to the being holding her captive.

"Our lives for the stone? You allow us to live out our lives as normal with no interference from you to end them early and I willingly give you the last thing that holds dominion over your powers….do we have a deal?"

"You could also agree to let him keep the stone and come with me to my realm. You would be my Queen…exalted on high by all and you would never have to fear the touch of death like the others. Let go of these mortal ties and come with me. I will make you beautiful forever Hermione."

Tom stopped himself from protesting as she shook her head no almost immediately.

"Thank you for the offer Lord of Death but I must decline. Though the offer is an honor…I am not the one you are truly looking for as my heart and soul is already spoken for by another."

Leaning into him so only he can hear, Hermione gives him a soft brush of her lips on his cheeks as she places the stone over his heart.

"Your Lady of Death shall come to you when she is meant to. Have faith and be patient."

His sigh was one of such loneliness and sorrow that it brought a flood of tears to her eyes. With a nod he placed his hand over hers, letting the stone sink into his skin and the power return to his lifeblood.

"You are wise beyond your years my Lady. If he ever mistreats you, my offer stands and I will come for you if you should but call."

Stepping away and bowing over her hand, he places a gently kiss that for a moment burns into her skin. She hisses but holds steady and as he stands back to his full height he gives her a smile filled with promise.

"You will have a long and prosperous life filled with hope and love my sweet Hermione…this I promise you."

With those parting words, Death returns to his otherworldly presence and steps into the nothingness behind him, vanishing from sight once more. The candles extinguish with his leaving and the clearing seems to come alive with sounds and smells that had been absent while he had been around.

Tom felt more than saw Severus, Avery, and Acanthara exit the clearing, leaving him and Hermione alone. She turned to face him, her eyes filled with wonder and awe. He couldn't stop his eyes from taking all of her in again and again but he couldn't seem to make his feet move now that she was here. At least not until her sweet voice broke through his fear and settled around his heart.

"Tom?"

The worry in her voice pushed him into action and with a look filled with love and longing he took three long strides to reach her and pulled her into his arms. As her arms wrapped around his neck, he bent his head down and took her mouth in a kiss filled with all the long years he'd waited to have her again. She gave as good as she got and though she was shaking in his arms, her kiss was as fierce and filled with need and longing as his was.

"Take me home Tom. I need you to claim me like you did before. I feel like I am going to fly away if I am not bound to you like before….please baby…please help me feel whole again."

"I have waited lifetimes to hold you in my arms…I am never letting you go again dove…never!"

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, his lips crashing into hers again, he stepped to the side and apparated them away.


	37. Chapter 37-Two Become One

**Hello my lovelies!**

**I think I channeled Moon there at the opening. I have a cold, I am very medicated, and so my muse has no filter or Dash to put a stop to her wily little urges. Anything in this chapter that you hate...I cannot be held accountable as I was not fully behind the wheel. Anything you love I take full credit for because of course that was the moment I was involved in the writing. If you like it all then go me even on medication lol.**

**Warning: Lemons...lots and lots of lemons...like nothing else got past the dang lemony things.**

**All questions I promised an answer to will be next chapter because I lost control of this one. Enjoy!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

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They landed in his bedroom and Tom didn't even try to right them as they toppled from the rough landing. Both ended up sprawled on the bed, Hermione beneath him, her body moving sinfully against his as he ran his hands over every part of her his body wasn't covering. The kiss switched back and forth from rushed and frantic to deep and sensual and each time his groan or her moan would set it back off to rushed and frantic.

Lifting his body just enough, Tom ran his hands under her jumper and pulled it in one yank over her head. Throwing it behind him to the floor, he took in her golden skin, sun kissed with a small smattering of freckles here and there just like she had across her nose. Her keening brought his eyes back to her face and with a groan he let her pull him back in and lost himself in her lips again.

"I'm ready Tom. I feel like I have been waiting for this moment forever."

Her hands reached between them to try for his trouser button but he was not having any of that. Gripping both hands he pushed them into the bed above her head. Settling his body between her hips, he stopped moving or kissing her and waited for her eyes to focus on his face.

"I have spent countless hours and more years than I want to think about waiting to have you in my arms and be able to keep you there Hermione. I am not about to rush the moment now that it is finally here."

Her grin was a mix of sassy and sweet as she lifted her head and nipped his lip.

"You do look and feel quite young and viral for such an…old soul Tom. If you want to take it slow then I am willing to put my body in your expert hands. Who am I to deny myself of all the experience you have had plenty of years to learn and now use on me."

His face turned even more serious and he watched her eyes fill with confusion and worry.

"You misunderstand a few things it seems HG. I may have trusted Avery enough to watch things that he did and let him explain and teach me over the first ten years out of Hogwarts so that I was not uneducated on the subject. And that I did do specifically for you so that I knew how to please you. But make no mistake dove…I am yours and have only ever been yours just as you will be mine and only ever mine. I have never touched nor have I ever let another woman touch me. You gave me back my heart, my soul, my very existence Hermione…I belong to you and only you. Will you agree to belong to me and only me?"

Her eyes widen in surprise before he watched her brain kick back in and the wheels start to turn again.

"You mean to tell me you have not been…intimate with another woman at all for the last fifty years or so?"

His nod is very clear and her eyes fill again with tears as she looks at the sincerity on his face.

"You didn't have to do that Tom. I would have understood a paramour or two while you waited."

Running his thumbs under her eyes to wipe away the few tears that spilled over before caressing her cheeks downward to run one thumb along her bottom lip, he couldn't help but give her a sad smile.

"I never could have even considered it dove. In essence, I watched you die in front of me just after I was able to regain the ability to feel true, honest love. It was like having my wife die after waking up from a coma and just laying eyes on her. Even when I sat by and watched Avery please his women during his younger days, I never once had even the urge to join in or to touch one myself. All I could ever imagine was your face as you came undone under me in the journal and all thought of ever touching someone else turned to stone in my mind."

Leaning down he gently ran his tongue along her bottom lip where she was worrying at it before brushing his lips back and forth along hers. Her breath caught in her lungs and he used that moment to take her breath entirely as he sank into her mouth, his lips and teeth teasing before his tongue languorously played along the seam and then delved deeper to tangle with hers.

Pulling back only enough so he could talk, his lips and tongue still touching and tasting her mouth in between words, Tom made sure she understood his motives tonight.

"I plan to have all of you Hermione. But it will not be rushed…I will not be rushed. I am going to touch and taste every single inch of you. I want to see what you look like with my own eyes and feel how your skin quivers when I run the pads of my fingers across it. I want to see what I have to do to make your back arch on a moan the way that I enjoy…that arch that gives a man the view of his lovers entire body, that opens her up to his every want and lets him know that her body is his to feast on as he sees fit."

Breaking away from her mouth he starts to work his way down her neck, taking the time to nibble and lick the shell of her ear as he passes before licking a line to where her shoulder and neck meet and biting gently on the flesh.

"I want to know every secret your body is holding from me. I have never forgotten that you are my secret to collect dove and I plan to start collecting right now. By the time I allow you to sleep tonight, I will know which spots make you giggle, which make you twitch in desire and which cause you to moan in pleasure. I will know if you like your nipples sucked, licked, bitten, or all three and in what order will drive you crazy the fastest."

Working his way along her collarbone, he kisses and licks back up her neck to her other ear, giving it the same slow attention before moving back down her neck as her whine reaches his ears.

As he slowly allows his mouth and eyes to travel over her skin, he palms one breast in his hand and gently rubs his fingers and thumb back and forth along the soft flesh. Her moan shutters out of her mouth along a sigh and the sound makes his length twitch inside his already too tight trousers. Pushing up with his other hand he puts first one and then the other leg over her hips, straddling her so he can hold himself up as he palms the second breast in his other hand.

His tongue and lips suck and lick and nibble along her skin and round her breasts as he twists and rubs and rolls her now harden peaks in between his thumb and fingers. Each sigh, moan, or deep vibrating keen she lets out he notes until he knows which movement causes what reaction. Once he is satisfied he knows how to drive her crazy with lust using only his fingers, he leans down again, his eyes on her face as he takes the left nipple deep into his mouth. Her neck arches back as she cries out to the ceiling, her hands gripping his hair in a frantic hold.

He licks and nips and sucks until she is a writhing mess under him. Almost wishing he was between her legs again so he can feel her hips jerk with his cock pressed against her heated core, he pulls up his shields enough to keep control of his own wants. Right now is not about his pleasure…it is about learning hers so that he can keep her satisfied in his bed for the rest of their lives.

Her cries turn to pleas and as he pulls back, making a popping sound as her nipple leaves his mouth, he doesn't give her a chance to catch her breath before he sucks the other one roughly into his mouth and bites down…at first gently and increasing the pressure until her moan gets that little warning of too much pain to it. Making another mental note of her pain threshold on her nipples, he proceeds to lick and kiss it better until she is begging with her body and her mouth for him to take her again.

Alternating back and forth, using his mouth on one and his hand on the other and then switching when she starts to try to flee from the overwhelming sensations, Tom grins against her skin as he lets his breath ghost over the sensitive bud.

"I learned that if you just continue to torment a woman's nipples that eventually you can push her into orgasm with that touch alone. Did you know that dove?"

Her head thrashed back and forth on the bed as she whined out _no_. He licked a long line from her belly button to between her beautiful breasts.

"Do you think if I took the time I could make you scream my name from this alone love?"

"I…Godric Tom I don't know…please…I can't…I don't think I will survive that tonight…"

Her pleading was a balm to his battered soul…a sound he planned to let override the screams he heard in his dreams every night. Sitting up so he could watch her face, he began rolling and twisting her nipples again, his touch light and then heavy as she bucked her hips up and cried out in need. Her pleading turned into one or two words of incoherent thought and satisfied he made a strong enough memory to replace the other, he released her nipples just to lean forward and capture her wail of frustration and need in his mouth.

Pulling his legs back over her hips he settled them between her thighs but did not allow his body to lie against hers. She tried to gain some friction by pushing off the bed but he broke the kiss to make sure her core didn't brush his cock just yet.

"Now, now Dove…what did I say? I decide when and how I give you pleasure."

Her voice came out strained and annoyed and he had to duck his head to hide his amused smile from her.

"You did not say that at all! You said you wanted to know all the secrets of how to give me pleasure but you never said you got to choose when I received it too."

Knowing a little thrill of fear could heighten a situation he let his amusement slide away as he reached up and wrapped his hand gently but firmly around her throat.

"I may not be The Dark Lord anymore dove…but I am _your_ Dark Lord. That means I own your body, as well as your heart and your soul. I own your pleasure and I will grant it to you when I want or see fit to. Your orders are to sit back and enjoy it, and thank me for being such a gracious Dark Lord once I have filled you up and let your pleasures spill over again and again. And each time the gratitude should be even sweeter and said with more love and affection as I am told such pleasures cause a euphoric state of being. Am I understood dove?"

Pinching and rolling one nipple and then the other as he is talking before letting his hand slide down her stomach to cup her core, he watches her start to defy him only for her mouth to open in an _oh_ of pleasure and her entire body surrenders under him.

Unbuttoning her jeans, he lets her go so he can slowly pull the material down her legs, making sure to pull her knickers off with them so he has her bare before him. The moment is enough for her to gather her wits again and she uses the time to get her own quip in.

"Does this mean that when it is my turn to give you pleasure that I own and control yours as well?"

For a moment he holds completely still as he feels the lust burning in his veins set his shields ablaze and burn them to cinders in his mind. He knows if he looks at her now, the feral look of need might scare her so he keeps his eyes feasting on the small patch of hair that hides what he wants most in this moment from his view.

"Open your legs for me dove and I will answer."

He can taste her hesitation on the air but she does as he bids, her knees bending to raise her legs up as she sets her feet apart and opens her thighs. Her glistening folds are dripping with her honey and his mouth waters to taste her, devour her, until she is screaming his name and bucking her hips uncontrollably against his mouth and tongue.

Staying on his feet he bends down to run his tongue along her hip and across her lower stomach to the other side. He nips the bone at her waist before trailing his lips and hands slowly and reverently down her legs to her feet. Gently rubbing circles in the soles he kisses back up the inside as he speaks.

"If that is what you wish my Lady of Light then yes…when you are bestowing pleasure to me it will be yours to own and to deliver and I will willingly give up the reins of control to you. I love you Hermione…I would never hold you from having any and everything you wanted from me."

Reaching the apex between her legs, he trembles as he looks up her body to see her eyes locked onto him. Her breath catches in her throat as she sees the look in his eyes and she shivers…he just isn't sure if it's in fear or anticipation.

"No matter what my eyes may say Hermione…I would never hurt you. You know that right?"

Her nod comes immediately and she licks her lips before speaking, her voice a hoarse tone as she tries to push it past her desire.

"I am not afraid of what your gaze promises Tom. You are not the monster…you are the man…the man I love with all my heart. I am not afraid of what your eyes say…I am burning from the inside out to feel what they promise. I know you said everything but please Tom…I'm begging you…let go of your control and give life to the threat I see in your eyes."

"Say it again!"

His voice was a low growl along her skin as he kept his eyes on hers. His fingers tightened on her inner thighs as he pushed them up and open wider, her gasp and blush not in any way influencing his movements.

"I love you Tom."

His name ended on a cry as he dove in, his tongue licking a long line up her center as he took in her essence. That first taste was like a drug and he knew he would never tire of her on his tongue. His lips closed over her throbbing little bud and with the single minded focus he was known for he flicked and licked, sucked and nibbled until her moans turned to wails, her back arched, and she screamed her release to the heavens.

Wanting her completely out of her mind with pleasure before he took her innocence, Tom continued his assault with his tongue, adding a finger inside her tight channel. Her pleas for him to stop went unheeded and as she squirmed and moaned he added a second and then a third finger, stretching her body for him as he rubbed gently against the spongy area he knew would send her careening into subspace for him.

"Merlin please…stop…I can't again…it's too sensitive Tom…gods please stop…"

Every word only drove him harder and her body made a liar out of her as she tightened around his fingers, he kept her pinned to the bed with his hand holding her down across her stomach, but he watched as her back arched again, her neck followed and her mouth opened in a silent scream as her channel squeezed so tightly around his fingers that he had to stop moving them in and out but just rub the tips along her spot as she flooded his hand with her release.

As her walls contracted she drew in a deep breathy moan and let it out on a half sigh half cry as her body tightened again and another wave of pleasure rolled over her. He gentled his sucking as he pulled his fingers from her body, licking up every drop of her release before sliding up the bed to settle between her legs.

Not allowing her time to come down fully knowing this could be painful if he waited too long, Tom flicked his hand to remove his clothes and lined the head of his throbbing cock with her entrance. In one smooth slide, made easier by the warm wetness of her body, he buried himself all the way to the root, her cry of pain drowned by the aftershock of pleasure that rolled through her as he rubbed along her g-spot with his length and tapped her clit with his pelvis as he hit bottom. Kissing her eyes, her brow, her cheeks, and then her lips, Tom sank against her body as pleasure unlike any he had ever known radiated from the point he was connected to her out. It took what little will power he had left to hold still and let her adjust to his invasion.

The kisses started off full of satisfaction on her part and reverent love on his but it didn't take long for her want to feel him move inside her overtook them both. She rolled her hips just enough that he slide out of her and back in and it was all the encouragement he needed. Sliding one hand down her side to her thigh, he lifted the leg up against his side before pulling back until only the head was inside her before sliding back in.

He kept up a slow, steady pace until the noises slipping from her lips changed from winced moans of discomfort to gasps and quietly keening sighs of pleasure. Once he knew he wasn't hurting her anymore, he buried himself to the hilt and slid his arms under her. Lifting her from the bed which caused her to squeak, he carefully crawled on his knees until he could turn and sit against the headboard, his legs stretch out in front of him with her sitting in his lap.

He didn't give her a chance to question before he took her face in his hands, kissed her so deeply he hoped she could feel him in her soul and began to move under her, his hands releasing her face to wrap around her and hold her to him as she moved over him and he moved under her. Both drew back at the same time, resting their foreheads together, their breathing mingling in pants and groans as they locked eyes. He wanted to see her passion and her love and he wanted her to see his and he couldn't think of a more intimate way then to have her in his arms just as they were.

No matter how many times he pleasured himself to grow stamina over the years, his hand did not feel anywhere near as pleasing as her body did wrapped like warm silk around him and he knew he wouldn't last near as long as he wanted. Placing his hand on her abdomen he let the contraception spell glow along her skin before meeting her eyes again. At her confused but appreciative look he couldn't help but explain.

"Nothing we do will ever be done without your full consent Hermione. I will never forget your happiness, your desires and wants…not even when I am drowning in your body and this undeniable pleasure. Everything I have done has been for you…nothing will ever change that."

Wrapping her arms tightly around him, one hand buried in his hair, she melts into his kiss again as her body tightens around his length and he groans at the sensation. Just as he thinks he can't take the slow pace any longer, she lets go of him to grip the headboard, keeps her eyes on his, and starts to use her grip to pull her body up and let it slam back down on his aching member. The first causes him to gasp, the second slide to groan, and by the third all semblance of control leaves as he grips her hips and helps her to move, snapping his own hips up to make their meeting a louder, harder slap of skin on skin.

As his release climbs up his spine he grips her against him, rolling so she is in his arms again and slamming her back up against the headboard. On his knees with her legs wrapped around him he slams deep into her over and over again as he cries out this time, his seed shooting into his witch's body. His rough handling and his release triggers another for her and her head thuds against the wood as she throws it back to scream his name, her body clamping down like a vise around his still engorged member.

As the last waves of pleasure roll down the length of his body, he pushes with one hand and allows gravity to take him to the bed with his beautiful dove in his arms. Landing with a slight bounce and her giggle in his ears, he can't help but smile as he wraps his arms around her to keep her close and lets his mind drift away to the darkness that is calling him. He can tell just as he drifts off that she is not far behind him as her body goes lax in his arms and her breathing starts to even out.


	38. Chapter 38-Catching Up

**Greetings and fairy sprinkles for all!**

**You can blame Vine as she has been feeding me fairy sprinkles all day to help me through my cold so I could let my inner Hufflepuff write an update today. As she was a massive part of this update...I dedicate this chapter to my sweet little pixie TinkerVine Le Fae and I hope you all take the time to go check out her stories as well. She can be found under my favorite authors list! **

**I also want to thank my entire coven for being such awesome people! They keep me going even when I just want to lay down and sleep and let the cold win. You guys are my heart! (see inner Hufflepuff at work y'all)**

**Warnings: Not sure there are any...little lemon splash but other than that I think the rest is pretty safe for you to read Vine lmfao!**

**Enjoy and I am pretty sure at this rate Secret will go beyond 40 chapters my lovelies lol.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom woke with a shiver. He was still completely naked and neither of them had made it under a blanket before sleep had dragged them under. Realizing his arms were empty of his curly-haired witch he pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked around the room. The sky outside was still dark so they had not slept that long. He noticed a blanket was lying in a pile at his feet…must have kicked it off. He never did like too much weight over him, made him feel held down. But at least his dove had tried to keep him warm before she scampered off to wherever she had gone.

Stretching as he stood to his feet, Tom caught the tinkle of water dripping into water and with a smile he headed towards the bathroom that was attached to his bedroom. The door was cracked and as he quietly pushed it open further, he was greeted by a welcome sight. Hermione was sunk under the water up to her neck. The scent of honey suckle bubbles with a hint of vanilla permeated the air and he took a deep draw of it into his lungs as he watched her relax.

Not wanting to scare her he backed out again and lightly tapped on the door. The water made a slight slushing noise as she probably twitched before her sweet voice bayed him to enter. Keeping his eyes on her he shut the door fully behind him and watched her take her fill as her eyes ran along the length of his body. Her cheeks flushed a light pink as her attention caused his already hardening member to twitch and he released a light chuckle that had her head snapping back up.

"Like what you see dove?"

The pink turning to a darker red, she gave him a shy smile that looked so reminiscent to the current Hermione and not his HG that he knew a worried crease formed on his brow.

"You already know I like what I see. I also happen to like what you do with it too baby boy. Care to join me? I was just soaking away the aches our reintroduction caused."

Her use of his sweet if not annoyingly childish nickname had him grinning and sneering at the same time and without having to be asked twice he stepped forward and gratefully sank beneath the scented bubbles into the warm water.

"Must you call me that infernal nickname? Can't you at least shorten it to just baby now if you insist on calling me pet names?"

Her smile was radiant and caused his heart to melt in his chest. He had been so afraid he would never see that smile again that he knew right in that moment he would do everything he could to see it as often as possible…even let her call him by that irritating name.

"Come now Tom…you know as well as I do that it only annoys you on the surface. Underneath all that bad boy Slytherin pomp is the heart of a Hufflepuff who preens and melts at the name."

He just knew she was teasing him and with the reflexes he had developed playing Quiddith his last years at Hogwarts and the Auror training he had been a part of, he disappeared under the water only to come up after he had snagged her foot and yanked her to him. Her laughter rang out as he resurfaced, her arms going around his neck as she gently wiped the bubbles off of his face.

"Call me a Hufflepuff again my sweet little lion and I will show you what bad boy Slytherins like me do to naughty, sassy Gryffindors like you!"

Her eyes glazed over with desire and for a moment he was tempted to forget everything they might need to discuss and take her again in the bathtub and then again in the shower as they rinsed off…and maybe one more time against the cool marble floor before he allowed her freedom from his affections. However, he knew that the ritual could have exhausting and strange side effects and he didn't want to risk her health for his own insatiable pleasures…at least not until he was reassured by Madam Pomfrey that she was in perfect condition.

"As much as I would like to reward that look in your eyes with exactly the kind of treatment it deserves, I was told I should take it slow and easy until we know everything that happened during the ritual has settled and you are physically and mentally okay. Would you mind terribly if I keep a hold of you though while we relax and talk?"

The disappointment was barely a flicker before her eyes warmed with love and affection and she snuggled in closer to him.

"As long as I get to stay in your arms…I don't care what else we are doing. Not to mention…I have been dying to know how you did everything you have manage to do while I was…away."

His chuckle couldn't be helped. Walking her back to her spot he slid onto the seat made into the side of the tub and pulled her across his lap. Wrapping one hand behind her back to hold her steady, he let his other drag gentle touches of the pads of his fingers up and down her smooth, soft legs and along her hips.

"My incessant little know-it-all…gods I have missed that. No one but Avery ever questions me and it's only when he feels like I am overstepping some line I myself have drawn. My life has been empty without you in it and I will do my best to tell you anything you wish to know my little hidden Ravenclaw. Where do you want to start?"

"How about the last time we saw each other and go from there. I remember you telling me you could feel your love for me and then I remember pain before a cloud of calm washed over me. I have no idea how I got from there to here."

His smile turned sad as that moment ran through his head. He pulled her closer to him and he knew his grip on her had to be bruising but she didn't utter a word in protest. His words when they came were barely over a whisper, his fear that speaking it out loud would bring his happiness crashing down around him was so very real.

"We are not quite sure how it happened. I spent several years researching it and the best we could come up with was that the curse was from my mother being selfish in wanting my father. My selflessness at being willing to risk my life for yours even though I couldn't truly feel my own feelings was what was needed to break it. I don't know how much of that is right but I just know that when I grabbed my future self it felt like the Universe tried to tear me in half and I'm pretty sure it did more than that to him. When the smoke cleared so to speak, I was alive without a single scratch on me and I was flooded with worry for you and a feeling so strong filling me up that I had no name for it but it centered entirely on you."

"When I found you hurt under the forest debris I was terrified I had lost you when I could finally feel what I felt for you. Then you spoke and gods dove I have never felt such…I have come to know that feeling was joy…elation…it took making Severus my son to understand the feeling I had in that moment and I have reflected on it every sense so I don't forget."

"But then the time line started to set itself to rights. It seems that in our instance when you changed who I was going to be you reset the entire time line. I knew in that moment I was about to lose the girl I had come to love with every part of my being. In my haste to save you I delved back into the dark magic you always disapprove of and I am not in the least bit sorry I did. I used a blood ritual I had read about while trying to find a way to get to you through the journal. It allows one person to take and store the memories of another in an object for later retrieval. I cast the spell using your blood and my magic and pretty much drained who you were into the pages of the journal."

"Your screams of pain became more than I could stand so I used Imperio on you so that you would…die…without feeling the pain you were in. That is the calm you felt wash over you. You had no defenses and your magic had already burned most of the way out of you so it was easy enough to get into your mind and help take away your fear. I was stuck in the journal and had to watch you burn to ash in front of me before the magic was broken and I was dropped back into my own body. I still have nightmares about that moment…I hear your screams…I watch you turn to ash and float away…but it is always in my life now and not my past. I don't fear my own death anymore…I only fear losing you."

Unable to fight the need to know she was real and there anymore, Tom lifts her face to his. Settling his lips against hers he kisses her deeply, taking her air into his lungs and giving her his in return. Losing himself in the kiss he runs his hand up and down her legs, her moan as he slides up the inside pulling him back into the moment. Stopping his ascent with his hand, and chuckling as she whines at him, Tom turns her so she is straddling his lap and his now hardened cock.

"After we are done talking love but you can play if you will be a good girl while doing so."

His cheeky look makes her laugh and she settles down on top of him, making sure he is nestled perfectly between her legs. One rock forward in what he is pretty sure is a mild admonishment from her makes him hiss in pleasure but she sits still after and waits with heat filled eyes, her lip firmly between her teeth.

"Salazar woman when you do that to your lip! Cut it out…that is by far Slytherin tactics. You should be ashamed…"

The last he couldn't even say without a smile forming on his lips and determined not to be derailed from his mission, he sits back with his hands on her hips and continues.

"As for the aftermath of that, I decided to listen to you and put all of my trust in the one person who had shown his loyalty from day one…Avery. I have never once regretted that decision either. With him as my council and with him knowing the end goal, the why of it all, and what you wanted me to be versus what I had become…we set to work. And yes I let him see all the memories of what I was without you…he was most happy to have had you come along and turn my future upside down I assure you."

"I took every injustice that you showed me and we set a plan on how to fix, reform, or create any and all laws or issues that needed it. I got all of my generation of purebloods on board and any older ones who refused to see reason were…dealt with."

Her raised eyebrow was the only indication that she may not have liked what he implied but she never questioned so he moved on.

"Brax…Abraxas Malfoy…had during my apprenticing years become a trusted ally and so with him in tow as the next Minister of Magic, we all set our changes into motion. The first was to stop all the fear and hate for muggleborn witches and wizards. They were brought in early with a sponsor family and the magically born were put in school with them to learn muggle culture and to help teach the muggleborns the magical culture. That part you know all about as you have now lived it from the other side."

Her smile was filled with her thanks as she nodded and leaned forward to give him a very grateful kiss.

"It was lovely to have a childhood so filled with care and wonder instead of the hate and fear and frustration. It still feels jumbled in my head and my memories war with each other on that front but I have them all and I love that Professor Snape…uh Prince…ended up being my sponsor. Your idea?"

Shaking his head no, he moved forward with the story.

"No but I will get to that. Once we had the entire community involved in the muggleborns and learning muggle culture, we set to work fixing the injustice heaped on the magical creatures. I sent delegates to all the different tribes and packs and nations. It took years to get that all settled and we lost a few brave and noble men and women during. One is Avery's young nephew…he was not killed but he is now part of Lupin's pack. He was attacked by a rogue werewolf during a routine visit to the local pack and he ended up turning the next full moon. He was Fenrir's beta until that idiot stepped out of line and decided to follow that crazy witch. Remus makes a much better Alpha anyway…should have done away with Fenrir years ago…"

He let his eyes drift from her face as he shook his head at his lack of foresight on that one but her gentle caress had his eyes falling right back into hers.

"As you once told me baby…you can't save everyone."

Running his hand over her cheek and kissing her lips gently, he enjoys the solace she provides just being there with him and realizes this is how his life was going to feel after she graduated. He would always have her morals to turn to, her arms to be held in, and her heart to surround him when he felt he had failed again. His life was looking up after so long in the dark.

"During all of that I took the time to go find Severus and fetch him from his rotten home life. I was not going to let your beloved Professor and protector grow up in that environment again…even if it meant changing who he was. I made sure that the Prince line that stood in his way was…not an issue. Once we had his inheritance squared away, we went and retrieved him and his mother from Spinner's End. Originally he was going to be raised entirely by Eileen and Avery but the more I got to know him as a boy the more attached to him and his education I became. The country was running correctly and the Ministry was in good hands all the way around. I ended up having more time on my hands once I had a reason to give up some of the control and I found helping mold and raise Severus was a damn easy reason to have."

"Let's just say one thing led to another and not only did I share all the memories I had of him that I had acquired from you but I shared all my memories of you as well. I told him that I would be proud to have someone as powerful and brilliant as him as a son and if he was okay with it, I wanted to adopt him as my true magical heir and continue to train him in both the dark arts and other powerful magicks. And yes before you get upset my love…his magic is of a darker nature naturally. I only helped hone it so he could call on his full potential but still be only grey and not dark…I would not harm him like that. I happen to love that boy just as I would a son born from my very blood. He is mine is all ways except having had you for a mother."

Her momentary anger fled under the affection that poured into her eyes at that last bit and she rewarded him with a long, deep kiss as she rubbed her hips back and forth. The friction of her center rubbing along his semi-hard cock sent shivers of pleasure along his spine and deciding he had talked enough he lifted her up just so and lined the head of his desire with her channel and let her sink slowly down onto him.

"I thought you said after we talk…"

"We have talked witch! I give you control…take me where you please."

His hissed words sent a thrill through her as her body fluttered around his.

"As my Dark Lord commands."


	39. Chapter 39-Interruptions

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know my poor Diva was expecting this update Friday but it ended up being a very busy day at work and I did not get a chance to finish it. Then I forgot to email it home to myself so I could finish it there. Needless to say, this one is now considered late by my Coven member and so this one is for Lady Amara Divane, also know as out little Diva! Hugs and such my coven witch!**

**Warning: Language, moments that elude to violence but no real ****descriptions, and a little bit of citrus-y goodness for your reading pleasure.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**PS: I will not be updating until I get closer to complete on my Dramione so be warned Diva dear lol**

* * *

Tom's head fell back with a growl rolling up his throat as his feisty little Gryffindor pushed the one button she knew would rile him up. He may not have ever wanted to be that monster she had shown him but he could not deny the darkness that sat warm and tempting inside him. He had learned to feed it in healthier and safer ways and if she planned to cater to it with submission to him sexually, he knew he would never have to worry about losing himself to it ever again. There were so many ways he could cover her with the thick, warm power that slid along his nerves and made his breath catch…and she would enjoy them all in the end.

Placing his hands along the edge of the tub so that she had full control, he brought his head back down, his hair falling over his eyes slightly as he watched her. Her eyes were following the path her hands were making up and down his chiseled chest. He was very proud of the physique he had kept over the years and he knew there was not an athlete his size who could boast being fitter than he already was. Her nails lightly grazed along the skin on his chest before she ran them down over his nipples. The sharp bite of pain had him hissing and his cock twitched inside her. Her body's answering squeeze almost had his eyes rolling back into his head but with a will power honed over all these years he kept his gaze on her face.

She licked her lips before leaning forward, her body rising up and dragging his length with sweet friction, her mouth settling on the spot where his neck met his shoulder. She started with sweet, barely there kisses and nips along his shoulder and up his neck before drawing his earlobe into her mouth and sucking. He gripped the tub as a pleasant rush of desire traveled from the point of her mouth along his body and straight to his already pulsing length. He had to tense his body to keep from slamming his hips up and burying himself deep inside her again.

Following the same path down she sucked and licked along his neck until she reached his shoulder again and with a grin that he could feel against his skin, she opened her mouth and set her teeth into his flesh, using enough pressure to make his hands curl into the marble again before licking away the sting. Those same sweet lips brushed along his jaw line to the other side of his neck and she started all over again, the torment of her teasing sending his mind spiraling into bliss as he teetered on letting her hand her way and reversing their roles so he could take her as savagely as his body was demanding.

"My Lord…you are so tense. Is there anything I can do to help you relax?"

Her voice was just a slight breath along his ear and he groaned knowing she was testing to see if he would keep his word. Gritting his teeth as she rolled her hips just a little, her body sliding down and back up along cock once a lesson in what hell could be like, Tom kept his hands firmly planted as they were.

"You know exactly what you are doing to make me tense Princess and there is not enough Slytherin in you to hide your motives. I promised you control and I intend to keep that promise…even if every part of me is screaming to fuck you until you can't walk for such impudence."

Her entire body shivered and her warm, tight channel flexed involuntarily at his words. Her nails gripped his shoulders as she slid back down and met him eye to eye.

"And if I wanted that more than I wanted to be in control?"

The look that entered his eyes he knew would have scared most people who knew him away. Her lip disappeared under her teeth but she held his gaze, a rush of liquid coating his cock with her spike of desire.

"You'd have to ask so very, very nicely for it Princess…convince me you want your punishment more than you want control."

"So now I am to be punished for enjoying what you allowed me to have?"

"You will learn very quickly my little dove…just because I allow you to have it does not mean I will not punish you appropriately if you do something that provokes my darker tendencies. I allowed you control and you are choosing to tease me while you have it. When I get control back, I intend to make you scream as I take the pleasure you are denying me."

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, her eyes darkening with anticipation, a bright light flowed through the wall. The raven flew around the room before alighting on one of the towel racks near the tub. His son's voice was a tone or irritation that he knew all too well as the message was delivered.

"I apologize for the interruption of your evening Father but we have a slight…problem. It seems we had a spy in the forest during our little ritual tonight and she decided to inform the Auror's that dark magic was used tonight to sacrifice a young muggle born to your nefarious purposes. Acanthara, Avery, and myself have been arrested until proof of Hermione's wellbeing is given. When you have a moment, would you be so kind as to bring her to the Ministry and present her to Auror Bledsoe so that he can show Mrs. Potter she has it all wrong and we can go back home? My thanks..."

The last was said with such a tone of sarcastic stoicism that it made Tom chuckles over his own rising anger. Sighing he stood still buries deep in Hermione and stepped out of the tub. Walking to the shower he turned it on with one hand, the other holding his beloved against him. Once the steam started to rise he stepped in and leaned Hermione against the wall.

"Sorry love…we are going to have to revisit this conversation another night. It seems Lily fucking Potter has used up her last bit of good will with Severus and the family. Do forgive me though dove…"

"What am I needing to forgive you for?"

"This…"

At that he gripped her thighs and opened her wide as he cast a spell of Severus' invention that held her to the wall but still allowed her to move. Pulling his hips back, he snapped them forward, releasing his hold on his control and slamming into her over and over as fast and as hard as his body would allow. Her cries echoed off the shower walls and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her finger nails digging into his back for purchase as he fucked her with absolutely no finesse. Just as he knew, it didn't take long before he felt the familiar burn of his release climbing up his spine.

As he reached his pinnacle, her body tightened around him and she threw her head back as she screamed his name and her orgasm ripped through her body. Her body milked him as she squeezed and rippled around his cock, the rush causing his knees to give and holding her tightly to him, he slid to the shower floor where she took over riding out her orgasm and his, straddling his lap.

As the last bit of his seed dripped from his body into hers she collapsed against him, both panting from the exertion. He stroked her hair as it hung in wet ringlets down her back, enjoying the feel of the hot water pounding against them. Once he was sure he could stand, he lifted her with him and set her carefully on her feet.

"Did I hurt you love?"

Her grin was slow and sensual as she leaned against him and tilted her face so she could look up at him.

"Not in any way I would ever complain about. I am sure I will be sore for a day or so when doing anything but lying down but it was worth it."

Her voice was a slow drawl of velvet and silk to his ears and he had to taste her one more time before letting her go. As his mouth took hers in a languid kiss, her sigh the sweetest sound he could ever remember hearing. His chest ached with the love he felt for her and he silently thanked every god who was listening that she had saved him and given him life by just being…her.

"I want nothing more than to wrap myself around you and sleep and wake to do this all over again. However, I really must go get my son and his wife and apparently my best friend out of jail. No matter what is said or what they want to do…you will stay by my side. I don't care if the head Auror himself wishes to speak with you alone…you are my fiancé now which means you are mine to care for and in the wizarding world that gives you a lot of protection now. I know you can handle yourself my little lioness…I see the indignation coming over your face. Please trust me in this and just let me take care of you this time…please?"

For a moment she glared at him and then her face softened and she nodded her head. Her kiss was soft and sweet and he allowed her to lead this time as she explored his mouth once more. Once satisfied, she turned and began to actually shower, her movements that of a witch on a mission. It really shouldn't have surprised him…the Ministry was holding her beloved Professor and her sponsors. He knew exactly how dangerous she could be when her loved ones were threatened. He started to worry for the safety of Lily Potter…but this time it wasn't his actions he was worried over.

* * *

He stood leaning against the wall of the small office they had all gathered in…a position he had been holding with Severus, Avery, and Acanthara next to him as they all watched his little lioness shred the DMLE head Auror and Lily Evans-Potter to itty bitty shreds. The moment they stepped into the office and the Aurors had drawn wands on him and started to try to arrest him, all Gryffindor hell had broken loose. She had stunned two of the Aurors and had the head Auror, who happened to be part of his group but Hermione was not aware of that, on the ground with her wand at his throat.

Lily had tried to speak up only to have the burning eyes of his dove turn to her, the anger and self-righteous fire in them enough to bring the meddling red head to a stuttering halt in what she was trying to say. Hermione had then proceeded to inform Auror Rosier that she was not under any dark potions or charms or compulsions, she had not been kidnapped or otherwise taken against her will or harmed, and that she did not appreciate having her night interrupted to come save innocent people from the sticky fingers of the idiots listening to the mad ravings of a jealous and petty bitch like Mrs. Potter.

Once the chaos had been reined in by his little Gryffindor, she had quietly sat as Auror Rosier had run the standard tests to check for dark magic being used on her. Once he was satisfied he had proof she was fine, he had asked about the ritual. Tom had taken over by explaining that the ritual had been to rid Hermione of a lingering dark lesion that she had acquired during the kidnapping by the late Bellatrix Black. He went on to explain they had waited till she came of age to make sure her magical core was strong enough to withstand the rigors of the ritual.

When asked why they had not gotten the Auror's or the curse breakers involved to help, Hermione had said very politely that she did not trust anyone else after the kidnapping and would only allow her sponsor family and her fiancé to perform the ritual. At the mention of Tom being her fiancé, Lily had erupted into another tirade about him seducing children and brain washing such a bright and powerful young witch so he could steal her from other younger, more appropriate pairings. At that…all hell had broken loose again.

Hermione had drawn her wand and in a duel of very unfair and epic proportions, Hermione had started to cast at their enemy. Lily had never been a slouch with her wand either and the duel had destroyed the entire office as the witches went head to head in a confrontation that he knew would be talked about for years to come. However, Lily had never fought in a war the way his HG had done and she had ended up a crumpled mess on the floor after his witch had gotten through with her.

Lord Potter had been called in and with him had come Lord and Lady Black. Taking in the scene before him, James had glared at Lily and demanded to know what the hell she had done now. Her tears and pitiful lies had been scoffed at before he had asked Nyxx to summon her cousin Amara to come retrieve Lily. Amara was a well-known mind healer whose practices strayed into the dark and almost forbidden. Her success rate at curing paranoia and similar sycosis to Lily's was enough for James to be willing to overlook her oddities.

His lovely lioness had then had to protect the witch she had just defeated as a very pissed off fae had exploded into the office, eyes black as night, magic crackling along her hair and the wings that looked like a starry sky. The moment she understood the cause for her mate being locked up behind iron bars, Angel had unleashed her magic, Hermione only just getting a shield up in time to protect the already bleeding and beaten perpetrator. Knowing if she hurt his dove there would be hell to pay Avery had jumped in and taken his fae wife into his arms. The kiss had redirected her attention and with an oppressive amount of magical flare she had torn threw the ministries wards and flashed them both away to their own home.

The snort from Severus beside him had him tuning back into the tirade that was spewing out of Hermione's mouth.

"If you were not such an insignificant little bitch who was more worried about her popularity in school instead of the people who were worth more than maybe you would have been able to win his affections back. But you have always been a petty, small-minded sycophant with no real substance to you and you have the audacity to accuse my sponsor parents of treachery because you didn't and couldn't get your way? Acanthara is a better mother and teacher as a sponsor mother than you were as a real one. Your own son has grown tired and embarrassed by your pointless and extremely unfounded accusations and jealousy! I hope Amara can help you Lily because if you ever attack my family again…it won't be the evil Lord Riddle or the mindless son you are going to have to worry about!"

"Hermione…enough!"

His daughter-in-law's voice actually caused him to jump slightly as he had not expected her to speak.

"Sorry Lady Prince."

He watched as Hermione stepped away from Lily and allowed Dr. Divane and her assistant Jinx to get her prepped for transport to her facility in Northern Ireland. James Potter stood with Nyx and Sirius and for a brief moment Tom felt bad for the lad. He really did love and adore his wife and was obviously very distraught that she was unable to find her way around this hatred she had for him. He liked James well enough now but not so much he was willing to let him in on the secret so he could understand his wife's issues better.

Knowing the night was not over yet as there would be a lot of paper work for the arrests, releases, destruction of the DMLE office, and who knows what else, Tom made himself comfortable. Sad that he would not be able to return to the night he was having not that long ago, he resigned himself to playing by the rules he himself had made.

Looking up he caught the eyes of the witch who his heart belonged to and could not help but smile as she gave him a saucy look that promised many things to come the next time they were alone. He knew the anticipation would only add to the experience and let himself enjoy the very fact that he could anticipate anything with her now at all.


	40. Chapter 40-Life was Good

**Greetings my Secret-icitists!**

**I had planned on not updating till I had the story I was writing done but it is being a little more difficult as it seems to one to turn into a big long one shot thing too. So to keep all of you animals fed...here is another chappie about our lovely HG and a glimpse into the life of the kids. Hope you all enjoy.**

**Warning: Character bashing a little bit-tried to stop it but...dunderheaded...**

**I have a feeling Secret will not allow me to ignore it the rest of the week either so I am sure you can expect an update again soon.**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione sat listening to all of her friends and the shock of having so many was a testament to how well Tom had reset the timeline. He had not only given her a world where she was accepted but one where she was revered for being new magical blood and considered a prize to be cherished. She knew if it was just her old views in her head she would be a little put out at being looked at as this grand things to claim but as she now had been taught the ways of the wizarding world and why finding the right match was so important…she couldn't help but be humbled that he made sure in their culture people like her were sought after and put above all others.

He had made her more important to know and claim then a pureblood and he had done it in such a way that she was not resented for it but praised for being salvation to the magical world…her and all the other muggleborns. He made her a princess in a world that used to hate her for just being born. That didn't mean there wasn't some resentment and jealousy. No matter what one does it will never affect every single mind and petty jealousies will still rise even in a mostly perfect and peaceful era.

And now here she was in the middle of her sixth year, a school year she had not yet been allowed to enjoy. As she understood it now, she had died or been erased during that awful summer between her fifth and sixth year so at least she wasn't missing any memories. It was also why Tom had chosen that summer to do the ritual and bring her back. It was as close to the exact time as he could get it so that she didn't lose any of her schooling or in his eyes part of her life. From the very smallest gesture to the grandest…she knew she was loved so completely that nothing would ever break them apart again. She almost couldn't wait to graduate and get out of this castle and start her life with him.

The hand waving in front of her face brought her attention back to the group around her and with a sheepish smile she met Harry's eyes with her own.

"Merlin Hermione you were off in the astronomy tower again…you feeling okay?"

"Oh come on Harry…she's in love…no girl is normal or okay when they are in love."

The laughter of the girls around her caused her to blush more but Harry's confused face made her laugh and it helped to cover up her shyness.

"Who can the little know-it-all bookworm possibly be in love with? No offense Mione cause we all love you to pieces but it isn't like she has a hoard of boys hanging around trying to court her. The only person she has ever even dated was Krum and he hasn't been seen since fourth year."

Rolling her eyes she glared over at Ron as she watched Thorn and Draco smack him with their books. Even in a whole new time line he was still an insensitive jerk who spoke before he thought about what he was going to say. She had been pleasantly pleased to realize that Harry was her best friend and Ronald was now the third wheel of sorts. Though, that was really only because she was in Gryffindor with them. If her and Harry had been in any other house…Ron probably would never have even been a friend.

As it was, looking around, they were surrounded by people from every house. Aither Black, Sirius and Nyx's son had been sorted into Hufflepuff to the astonishment of Sirius himself. There were endless jokes about Sirius really being a Puff under it all and she knew of at least two times she had witnessed Harry's dad and Sirius get into a rolling, tumbling, magic throwing play brawl over said comments and jokes. She happened to really enjoy his company. He had a sweet disposition like his mother and a very deep jokester side that every house had to watch out for…though it was more like the twins magic…all in good fun.

Then there was Thorn and Noira Prince. Both of the twins had been sorted into Slytherin following their mother and father and were like her two 'dark' best friends. It helped she had grown up more like a sister to them than just another magical kid in the school. As she was still as brainy and swotty as her first lifetime of memories…she came in contact with people who hated that she made them look unintelligent. Add that she had learned to do so with a Slytherin flare and her admirers were a lot less than her…what was the American term…oh yes her 'haters'. Thorn and Noira both had been in more than one duel over people saying things about her that were less than savory.

To her right was Harry who she was happy to note was healthy and happy and well-loved and still her very best friend. She was pretty sure that was somehow orchestrated by her beloved as well and she had plans for thanking him for giving her her best friend after being his nemesis in her lifetime. Though his mom seemed to be off her rocker this time and Hermione was pretty sure it had to do with the residual memories of Tom, Harry was a pretty balanced kid now. He was still humble and sweet but he had a mad prank streak and was the head of the marauders in her time just like his dad had been. The difference was that the other marauders were from different houses…and one was a girl.

Aither had found his way into Harry's little prank group, as had Draco freaking Malfoy. She had no idea and still had trouble reconciling her memories of 'Malfoy'-Ferret extraordinaire, and the Draco Malfoy that her current incarnation knew. She had apparently even had a huge crush on him during second and third year but it had subsided when he had started dating Noira at the beginning of fourth year. That was also the year she had set her eyes on Tom Riddle for the second time in person and her little fifteen year old heart had somehow known it was meant to be his. She had fallen hard for him not even knowing anything that she now knew and it made her smile just thinking about all the dreams she had had about him that year alone.

Pulling her mind back to Draco as she looked across the table at him with his head against Aither's…she had no idea what they were planning but she would be keeping her eyes wide open for a while. Everything about his outward appearance was the exact same. He was well-dressed and aristocratic to the very core. His hair and clothing was never unkempt or out of place and even his nails were always immaculate. The one huge difference though…he smiled and laughed without malice. Every day she always had to just stop and watch as he would throw his head back at something someone said and laugh until he cried. The light that shown in him now was brighter than any she would have ever thought possible from a Malfoy.

That covered all the Slytherins and of course Harry, Ron and herself made up the Gryffindors in the group. And then there were the Ravenclaws. Chara was the oldest of the group…this being her seventh year. She was the defacto leader of their little helping of claws and the fourth member of the marauders but would be leaving them this year. Hermione was very sad to see her go as she not only was her favorite study partner but her and Harry had started dating this year and if the bracelet Harry had given her on her birthday was any indication…dating was not going to be the end step for them. She knew Harry was completely head over broomstick for Chara and she knew Chara felt the same way. She just couldn't help making him sweat a little here and there as her hidden Slytherin came out to play. Hermione wasn't really familiar with the others. She knew their names and in her previous life she had known Luna well but now they were more Chara's friends who came along to hang out and study.

She let Draco and Aither handles Ron as she leaned back in her chair and watched all the people around her talk and laugh. It was so strange sometimes to not have a war looming in the background shadowing all of the happiness and fun. She had no idea how she was ever going to thank Tom enough for what he had managed to do but she was glad she had a lifetime to at least try. First she had to buckle down, study, and graduate with as many NEWT's as possible. From there she would figure out how to give him the life he deserved and should have had the last fifty years he had been waiting on her.

"Would you shut it Weasley! Everything you are saying only makes you seem even more dumb than usual. It has been quite obvious to all of us for a few months now. How have you not put two and two together?"

Looking back over as Thorn chimed in as the argument over her love status continued, Hermione couldn't help the glow of love she felt for her adoptive brother. He really was such a young Severus Snape and if he was a slightly more affectionate person she would probably hug him on a daily basis. As it was when she did he assumed someone had hurt her and was ready to end their miserable existence. She had learned to be sparing on the hugs with either of the twins.

"Oi…don't call me dumb! I am just saying that she is never alone with anyone ever. She is always with our group or Harry or you and your sister. Harry is dating Chara and you are seeing that damn wolf-girl from Remus' pack…"

Hermione watched Thorn's eyes turn cold and she slipped from her chair to head that way knowing what was coming.

"She has a name Weaslebee! Use it or don't refer to her at all."

"If you are so embarrassed about her turning furry once a month then why…"

Using the magic Severus had taught her to move faster by becoming partially smoke, Hermione blurred between the two just as Thorn pushed Ron out of his chair and started to stand.

"Enough!"

Placing a restraining hand on Thorn's wand arm and glaring down at Ron, Hermione watched as the others started to move and gather around her and Thorn. Draco and Noira took hold of the vibrating wizard and pulled him back and away from the Gryffindor who was currently picking himself up off the ground.

"You know better than to provoke him over his fiancé Ronald! Dashon cannot help that she was attacked and turned as a child and considering she is an Alpha and is able to control her turning…she really doesn't turn 'furry' once a month unless she wants to…not that that is the point. Just because you have issues with the werewolves and vampires does not mean any of the rest of us do. You need to grow up already and stop being such a child about it all!"

"Fiancé? He is going to marry that animal? Maybe you should all grown up and start seeing the world for how it really is! They are not misunderstood people Hermione…they are animals that we are allowing to live next to us. You yourself would have been a victim to their old Alpha if the cavalry had not arrived! How can you stand there and defend them or those blood sucking parasites after what happened to you?"

Her blood ran cold as she stared at him.

"How do you know about that night?"

"I heard Harry's mum talking about it with my mum not long after it happened. Keeping secrets from all of us now? Embarrassed that you were almost mauled by one of those beasts knowing you have to stand up for your sponsor families relationships?"

She could feel that cold shield cover her mind as Severus' words tumbled through her head. She couldn't wait to tell him that the lessons and meditation seemed to be working fantastically.

"That is what I am talking about Ronald. You don't like what any of us says to you…truth or not…and you lash out with as much hurtful things as you can think of to try to make it better for you. The difference now as when we were children is that none of us really care what you say anymore because we all are grown up enough to see and know the truth. The only one here who did not know about that night was you! I knew you would take it and turn it as a weapon against me the moment I pissed you off. I have tried to let your insensitivity go Ron but I am done. You are not welcome around me anymore. Take your racist and bigoted views somewhere else from now on!"

"You don't run our group Hermione…you don't get to arbitrarily decide I'm not welcome. If you don't want to be around me then you leave!"

Hermione felt more than saw the entire table turn their attention to him and the air grew thick with anger and amused disbelief.

"Hate to break it to you Weaselbee but if she wants you gone…you're gone. Again you really need to learn to read the very obvious writing on the wall."

Draco's drawl could not have been filled with more snobbery if he tried and Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from grinning. She never thought that tone of voice would be used to defend her instead of attack her…oh how the world had changed.

"Draco has a point mate…if we have to choose between you and Hermione…it's the Golden Girl for the win…thought you knew this by now."

Aither spoke up in the voice that was always a warning that mischief was coming if you pushed him. They all knew to back off unless they wanted a prank war on their hands and the only person who could rein him in was Harry.

"Come on Harry…I know you aren't going to pick her over your best friend mate!"

Harry stepped up next to her and slid his arm around her waist. Raising a very Snape-like (well Prince-like) eyebrow at Ron, he looked up at her with a glint in his eye.

"Well of course I am not going to leave my best friend for some stupid idiot with a big mouth. Though it would probably have helped you out if you had known you were never my best friend…mate. That honor has always belonged to Hermione. Why don't you run along and go find other likeminded individuals. I heard Parkinson has been seen moping around here ever since Draco asked Noira to marry him."

Looking around and realizing that he was not nearly as important as he thought he was, Ron glared at all of them before grabbing his satchel and storming off in a huff.

"I'm sorry Hermione…he can be a jerk sometimes."

She smiled over at Harry and touched her forehead to his in a show of understanding.

"It's okay…after some of the things I have heard and seen…his childish issues are really very underwhelming. Back to work everyone…finals wait for no one."

The groan around the table made her laugh and as they all settled back in to their books, she realized that she was loved and had friends and even if one fell by the wayside, life was good.


	41. Chapter 41-Celebrations

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I know it has been a week since I updated which is rare indeed. Still have not kicked this cold I have and my poor muse is slightly tired with all the stories I have been posting lately on my Coven's joint account. I plan to complete 'Secret' and the few ending chapters over there and then take a week or two break from writing and let my brain recharge. But I would never leave you guys hanging that long for this one. **

**If you have not had a chance to check it out and you are looking for some new Sevione or Dramione stories, be sure to saunter on over and take a look. Its a title challenge group thing so you will see some with the same title...they will have our names attached. Dash for mine, Moon for Acantha's, and Claw for Slytherclaw. Hope you enjoy. I will add the link for you as well or you can just click on Priestesses of Hiss in my favorite author area.**

**Hope you enjoy this little bit of fluff as time moves forward and we close in on the final chapters of my beloved Tomione. All my Slytherin luv to you my dear readers!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

**PS: Fanfiction . net u/12732381/Priestesses-of-H-I-S-S (you know the drill...no spaces lol)**

* * *

Tom watched from the stage as the graduating class took their seats at the tables provided for them on the lawn. Everything had been set up so that the wizards and witches leaving Hogwarts every year had a ceremony much like the muggles did where they were given a copy of their NEWTs and a certificate to show they had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This was also the day students received offers for apprenticeships that had been accepted or Universities that wanted their attendance. It was a very exciting and wondrous day for all present.

Though he was not the one presenting the 'diplomas' to the students, as governor of the school his presence was required and as he had several special people leaving the school this year, it was the first year he was happy and proud to be sitting here to witness it.

The ring of laughter caught his attention first as he scanned his eyes along the crowd. Coming to sit at the very first table were his grandchildren and his beloved Hermione. She was graduating top of her class and as Head Girl this year, she was to give a speech as well before the end of the ceremony. He knew she was nervous about it from the talks they had had over the past few months and he was glad he could be so near for moral support.

He had not had much chance to be alone with her since that night as her sponsor parents, namely his evil adopted son and daughter-in-law refused to allow him to break with traditions and propriety again until after she was in his hands and out of theirs. As per the laws of the community, he had a contract written up that stated his wants and requirements of Hermione and what he was willing to give her for those requirements being met. Of course unlike most other wealthy men and women…he didn't want anything else in the world but her so his contract had been vastly different.

Severus had given him one of his patented looks when he had read it over. The contract had stated very simply that he required nothing but her love and companionship for the rest of their lives. Divorce was not an option for any reason. Fidelity had been addressed and they would both swear a fidelity oath during their ceremony…not that he thought Hermione would cheat on him but he wanted to make sure if anyone ever tried to touch her against her will again they would get the shock of their lives. He had not demanded anything else of her. She was to live with him as his wife for the rest of their lives and everything else from the children they would or would not have to where they lived was entirely up to her. She would also have full access to his vaults with no restrictions and if something happened to him, she would be the sole inheritor of his entire estate unless they had mutually agreed to add children if they had any.

Tom actually had no idea if she would want to have children or not. They had never talked about it in detail. He knew that he wanted nothing more than to see her grow with his child inside her but he would never make that decision for her. He knew he was blessed every day that he even had her or the ability to recognize what she meant to him. That was the only thing that mattered to him. Everything else was literally just icing on his already perfectly sweet cake.

Watching her with her friends, all of whom were now seated at the front table, he couldn't help but wonder what life was going to be like after today. As was customary, after the ceremony and the feast they would hold a dance to close out the last day of the last year for the students. Younger students would all be in their dorms getting packed and ready to leave. The graduating class would take the boats back across the lake just as they had the first day of their first year to complete the circle of their education here at Hogwarts. They would board the train and ride it back to King's Crossing one last time.

From there all of those connected with his family and friends would be heading back to Prince Manor for a weekend long celebration. The parents would use the time to sit down and discuss future choices with their children and everyone would be given their graduation presents. He was looking forward to that most of all as he had plans already in the works for his dove. If all went well, he would be taking her home with him and never have to spend another night without her in his arms.

The crowd quieted down as Headmaster Prince stepped up to the podium. Tom had been so proud when the board of governors had voted him in as the new Headmaster after Minerva's retirement. He had been asked to step down from voting as his son had been a candidate and he had been only slightly shocked that they had chosen Severus over the other options. As he watched Severus take in all the students, his face stern as usual, Tom felt a flood of pride rush through him at knowing he had helped mold and raise such a successful and powerful wizard. It also made him crave more of his own, ones he would watch grow inside his dove and hold in his arms from day one. Fighting that need knowing he was leaving it in her hands, Tom tore his eyes away to watch the students as their Headmaster addressed them for the last time.

Of course turning his head meant his eyes inevitably fell back on his witch and this time her eyes were on him. He felt her gaze all along his skin as if she had physically touched him. He felt the slight brush of her mind against his and he let his shields drop enough to hear her thoughts.

_You okay? For a moment you looked…wistfully sad._

_Yes love…I'm okay. Just a thought I had that I promise I will share later. Pay attention now. Wouldn't want Severus to feel as though he were less important now would we?_

Her smile was full of amusement as she winked at him and then turned her attention to the end of the year speech Severus was giving. As he ended and the crowd clapped and cheered, Tom watched her rise from her chair and come towards the stage. Severus met her at the stairs and helped her up, her hand holding up one side of the beautiful dress robes she decided to wear. Over the last year she had lost that hard, wary edge to her that she had gained from being in a war in her own lifetime. Now she had a mantle of grace and strength that settled over her that seemed to bring inspiration to others and caused them to follow without hesitation where she led…a good trait to have as she was going to be his wife.

As the crowd cheered her arrival and then began to quiet down, she cleared her throat and looked out over her fellow students with a look of pride and love…a look he always craved to see directed at him as often as possible.

"Well witches and wizards…we did it!"

The smile in her voice and the excitement in her tone had the crowd laughing and cheering again. Even his normally stoic son had a tilt to his lips that he couldn't seem to control.

"It has been an interesting seven years hasn't it? For me it was a wild ride of learning about new places and so many magical things I had no idea were even out there. Just like I have watch some of my friends who have magical parents stare in awe at the crazy muggle inventions that were brought in to learn about. I think one of my favorite experiences was watching Draco watch Television."

The laughter erupted from her table and with slightly pink cheeks, Draco mock glared at her as he stuck his tongue out.

"Now it's time for us to go forth into the world and like our parents and grandparents before us, make ourselves into the best and most productive member of our society that we can be. With that being said…I urge you all never to forget the most important thing in life…the people in it. Hold tight to those you have and always appreciate that they are there. Be bold enough to meet new people and be kind enough to allow them the chance to show you who they are. You never know when you may meet someone with a frown who has never known love or a kind hand that just needs someone to stand by them long enough to believe they can fly too."

Looking back over her shoulder at first Severus and then him, she gives them both a sweet smile before facing the crowd again.

"And remember that a precious gem may be hidden away in the least expected place possible. Never close your eyes to the gifts our world brings…they are endless and wonderful. I wish you all the best of luck as we leave our home and venture out to find a new one. I cannot wait to see you all out there! Congratulations to us all…class of 1998!"

With that last smile filled statement, the tables roared with approval and cheers, the noise raising enough to echo across the grounds as Hermione stepped to the side of the podium, her smile so bright Tom thought it could light a room in the dead of night. With one last nod of her head at the Headmaster, she stepped down and rejoined her friends at her table.

The ceremony went quickly from there. Each person was called by name and recognized for their accomplishment of graduating. Refreshments were brought to the tables and the students milled about with each other and their mentors and teachers until it was time to get ready for the dance. Wanting to have her in his arms and knowing he had to wait a little longer, Tom stayed near Severus and the other teachers until the crowd disbursed to prepare.

* * *

The Great Hall was lit with tiny fairy lights everywhere. Students mingled and danced in all manner of dress robes and fine garments and yet not one held a candle to his dove. She moved about the room like a queen, holding court everywhere she went with each group of students. Her hair had been sadly tamed and was in an intricate knot at the base of her head with just a few tendrils of hair wisping around her face. Her makeup, which was normally very light and innocent was dark tonight. Her eyes had been painted with a deep emerald green to match her dress and highlighted with black so that she looked alluring and dangerous.

The dress itself was made of the finest silk and clung to the top half of her body like a second skin, making him want to run his hands over it to see if it matched the softness of her own skin. The bottom half flared out only slightly to allow her to almost flutter as she gracefully walked past. The heels on her feet gave her an extra few inches in height and matched the black accents on the bottom of the dress which on closer inspection he had realized were well designed snakes slithering along the hem and moving up one side. If a dress ever declared what house the man claiming her was in…it was that dress. He could not wait to peel it off of her.

The dance had opened the doors to many other prestigious and well-known witches and wizards. Some were here to discuss business and possible placement with the students. Others he knew were here to try to find themselves a suitable partner. He had already watched several wizards and one witch who did not know she was already spoken for approach Hermione. Knowing he could not interfere he marveled at how she accepted the compliment of being so highly sought after and how carefully she explained that she was already being courted by another that was quite serious. Each of them left wishing her good luck and with the hope that if it did not work out, she would keep them in mind with a kind memory.

The band performing slowed the music down and called for father's and daughter's and mother's and son's to come together for a special dance. He watched Hermione as she watched all of her friends go out to the dance floor with their children. Counting to ten he smiled as he watched his first gift of the night approached the love of his life and tap on her shoulder. As she turned she found her muggle father behind her and the cry of happiness made his heart ache in his chest. Rubbing at the spot and being thankful he could feel it fully now and know what it meant, he watched as she twirled around the floor in her father's arms, her eyes shiny with tears as she talked excitedly to him.

Her eyes opened in surprise before turning to meet his, the love and adoration in them staggering him and almost bringing him to his knees. Her mouth formed the words _thank you_ and with a small smile he inclined his head to her. Due to the magic, it was almost impossible to get a muggle inside Hogwarts. Tom had had to do some very potent spell work to be able to get her father through the gates where he could see the school for what it really was. He knew the spell would only last so long and had jokingly called it the Cinderella spell. Looking at her now shining with laughter and joy, he realized it wasn't the length of the spell that mattered but the moment it gave her that would last her a lifetime.

As time ran out and her father was escorted back to the gates and helped home, Hermione met his eyes again and with a sly grin she weaved her way through the others dancing and out onto a secluded balcony. He followed and as she came into view he cast a few subtle wards to keep others away from where they were.

"You look stunning tonight dove. That color…suits you."

Her laughter was a balm to his soul and as she stepped closer to him, he could swear her felt his very magic lean against his skin as if yearning to be caressed by her as much as he needed to be.

"You are looking pretty sharp yourself Lord Riddle. Is that a new tie?"

"It is…a sweet Gryfindor gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago and I have been saving it for this specific day. Do you like it?"

Running his fingers over the green silk tie that he had held since she had gifted it to him, he tucked it back inside his jacket before adjusting the sleeves and running his fingers over the cufflinks she had given him as well.

"I do. I think it goes well with those very shiny cufflinks. She must be a lucky girl indeed to have such an eligible wizard wear her gifts so openly."

"And if you were to be that lucky witch…would you wear my gifts as openly too?"

Her smile was full of promise and mischief as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body close to his.

"Guess it would depend on the gifts. Some of the ones I have received recently I don't think are meant to be worn openly in public. There is this one lace and silk piece that leaves pretty much nothing to the imagination that I was sent. It a very deep shade of red and it turns out that it fits stunningly underneath this dress but I am pretty sure my wizard would be pissed if I took the dress off now to show off the lingerie he gave me…don't you?"

Imagining that sexy red see through lace he had bought her on her body and hidden by the thin silk of her dress, Tom felt himself shoot rock hard as he gripped her waist and groaned.

"Are you really wearing that under this beautiful Slytherin colored dress?"

Leaning forward she put her lips to his ear, her words just a breathy sigh against his skin.

"Yes Tom…I really am."

Dropping his head to her shoulder he couldn't help the agonized groan that left his lips once more.

"You are going to be the death of me you little tease. You wait until I get you under my roof again without your damn sponsor father as chaperon. I am going to make you pay for every single moment you have been playing this little game of yours."

Lifting his head gently she gave him a sweet lingering kiss on his lips before pulling away and looking up at him.

"Thank you for being able to get my real father here. That was the best gift I could have received tonight."

"You're welcome dove."

Giving her another sweet kiss he watched as she headed back inside, turning just before she disappeared.

"And I look forward to your brand of punishment Lord Riddle. Threatening me with it is not at all frightening…only goads me into teasing you more."

With a sassy wink and her hips swaying sensually she left him alone to deal with his racing pulse and his pulsing member…damn teasing witch!


	42. Chapter 42-No More Doubt

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**I give you another lovely piece of Secret. Hope you all enjoy as I move on to my next update. Love and cheers and fae sprinkles to all.**

**Warnings: Fluff, lemons, what might seem a bit dubcon I guess...**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom sat in one of the leather wing back chairs with a crystal glass of brandy in one hand and his future wife's thigh in the other. After presents were given out and food was eaten, everyone had ventured into the parlor for drinks and conversation. Hermione had given up all pretenses and slid into his lap over an hour ago, back leaned against his shoulder and her legs thrown up over his lap and the arm of the chair. When he wanted a sip of his drink she would take the tumbler out of his hand and let him have a sip then hand it back to him and he made sure to keep her secure in his lap by holding on to her high up on her thigh.

The only one to show any reaction at all had been James Potter, who apparently had been too involved in his own wife's issues over the years to notice the growing closeness of he and Hermione over the last twelve months. In the end he had come to wish them well and give his congratulations as well. Tom had been polite and asked about Lily's recovery and they had talked for a little bit about her treatment and possible release. Hermione had been very generous in the conversation and listen with the same attention and compassion she gave everyone.

Once they had a moment alone he had kissed her softly, allowing his heart to be uncovered for a moment as he poured his adoration into her with every caress his tongue made against her lips and her own tongue. They had pulled apart at the clearing of a throat and he had glanced up to see Severus smirking down at them.

"As much as I hate to interrupt you father, I am going to need to borrow you to speak with young Mr. Potter and Malfoy. They wish to ask your advice about the acceptance letters they received and which choices would benefit them most as they move forward into the Ministry and your inner circle."

He bit back his sigh barely, his eyes meeting hers so that she could see his longing and exasperation. Her giggle only made him want to lift her up and carry her off to his room here at Prince manner so he could teach her a lesson about giggling at her superiors but a smile crept on to his face instead. Standing with her in his arms, her squeak making him chuckle, he set her down gently on her feet before kissing her forehead one last time.

"I'll return to your side as soon as I can Dove."

Reaching up she touched his face with a gentle caress before kissing the same spot with her soft lips.

"We have our whole lives Tom. I am yours from here on out. I am not going anywhere. Go help my best friend and his blonde haired ferret figure out how to be good little Riddlons for you."

"Riddlons?"

The deep tone plus the raised eyebrow made her head fall back with a full throaty laugh, a laugh that was still rare to hear and made his trousers uncomfortably tight as he watched her smack her sponsor father.

"Yes magic dad…Riddlons. Riddle minions…"

The normally poised man snorted in amusement, covering his mouth as he dropped his head to shake it. His shoulders silently started to shake and Hermione shoulder bumped him lightly as she grinned up at him from under his hair.

"This is one of the reasons you love me so much now huh Severus? I am one of two people who can make you laugh."

Her wink and his son's subsequent hug made him smile. Though he knew that the proud man had been in love with her in their old time line, he knew now that Severus' heart belonged to one witch only and that witch was no longer his little muggleborn Gryffindor so his jealousy seemed to stay appeased whenever she was in Severus' arms. Which was nice considering he really didn't want to hate or be jealous of his own son…

Giving her one more soft brush of his lips he turned and followed Severus out of the parlor and down to the study where the boys were waiting.

* * *

Tom smiled as he nodded his head at Draco, leaning against the door frame as he watched the two follow Severus back towards the party. Both young men were talking in excited voices about their choices and he couldn't help but feel a sliver of pride that he had been involved in their choice and their upbringing. They were both fine upstanding heirs and would be an asset moving forward with his plans for the wizarding world.

A shadow of movement caught his eye and turning his head he watched as Hermione stood from talking to one of the house elves and headed up the stairs towards the second floor. Not able to resist the moment he might get with her, Tom cast a silent spell on his shoes and clothing and a disllusionment before following her path. As he reached the top of the stairs, he picked up his pace making sure to stay to the side so the shimmer of his body didn't become noticeable.

Just as she turned a corner to head towards her room he caught up to her and without hesitating he canceled all the charms as he grabbed her by the waist with one hand and reach around her to place his hand on her mouth with the other. Her slight scream of surprise and fear turned into a wanton moan as he shoved her against the wall and rubbed his aching cock along the cleft of her ass.

"Naughty girls who are due for punishment shouldn't wander around alone. It gives the person they have wronged the ability to get their hands on her."

Pushing her more firmly against the wall, he reached down and with both hands he got the button undone and the zipper yanked down. Running his thumbs along the edges of her jeans and knickers he pushed them down to just below her ass cheeks.

"Tom…what if…"

Smacking her ass with his right palm he smirked as she gasped in outrage.

"Girls in trouble speak only when spoken to or they are punished more severely. I suggest you hold your tongue my sweet little lioness. This is already going to be a very rough ride for you."

Using his body to hold her in place as she struggled slightly, Tom unzipped his trousers and reaching in he pulled out his already rock hard cock. Grabbing her hands and holding them above her head in one hand, he used his foot to kick her legs open slightly before guiding his length between her legs to rub back and forth along her slit. Her moan was muffled by the wall and her teeth biting into her bottom lip. Smacking her ass again he watched as she released her lip to draw in a gasping breath.

"I have told you to stop biting that lip love…that's my job. You have enjoyed teasing me for months knowing your sponsor would follow the rules and keep me from your body. You are no longer a student or under his care now and I will have the pleasure owed to me. Your punishment…you shall not have yours until I say otherwise. You will not come around my cock and you will not come on your own later…do you understand?"

Her eyes opened to glare at him as she tried to open her mouth to argue with him. He could see the fire coming to life in her eyes and with a flick of his wrist he smacked her other ass cheek and watched the fire smoldering.

"Agree to your punishment dove or it will last must longer than I already plan. I went fifty years without that pleasure…do not think I won't do it again to prove my point. I am as stubborn as you are and you knew there would be consequences when you began your little game. Do you understand your punishment?"

"Yes!"

Her voice was a growl of frustration and need and with a smirk he angled his hips and in one thrust he slammed balls deep into her channel, his hand coming up to cover her mouth as she cried out from his invasion. Giving her no quarter he pulled back out till only the tip of his cock was inside her wet core before slamming back into her again. Wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her to him, he continued to fuck her hard and fast, the slap of skin on skin echoing off the walls as he kept her from screaming and moaning too loudly with his hand over her mouth.

"Can you feel that HG? Do you feel how hard and uncontrolled you made me? Did you realize what kind of monster you were creating when you started fucking with me?"

With each question he tilted his hips and bent his knees, drilling up into high so that the force lifted her slightly off the ground and dropped her back onto his cock roughly as he pulled back. Sliding his hand from her mouth to her neck he gripped her just enough to impede her air flow slightly before loosening his arm around her waist and running his fingers down to her lips to part them and rub hard circles around her clit.

Her hoarse cry of pleasure was overcome by another moan as he changed the angle again by stepping back slightly and pulling her hips out so her back would arch. Her body open fully to him he slid that last inch into her and with no mercy he fed her every inch of himself in deep, hard thrusts, his fingers still rubbing her pulsing bud as her muscles clenched around him with her on coming release.

Just as he felt her body flutter against him, her orgasm right at the edge ready to fall, he pulled his fingers away, stood up straight and grabbed her hips, pulling her back into him as he continued to piston in and out of her. Her cry of frustration only caused him to give her a dark grin as she looked over her shoulder to plead with him with her eyes.

Leaning forward again he roughly shoved her shirt up so he could cup her breasts in his hands, rubbing his fingers along her pebbled nibbles before pinching them roughly. Her voice broke with the pleasure of it and she let her head fall forward with a sob of need.

"Tell me love…was it worth it…teasing someone like me so ruthlessly? Was the laughter and the fun worth the torment you feel now? Did you get enough enjoyment out of all those small caresses and views you gave me of your body knowing I couldn't touch you?"

"Tom…please…"

His anger and love for her blending together, he wrapped his hand around her throat again and pulled her up as he stood, her body flush against his as he continued to roll his hips and push his cock roughly through her tight channel.

"Please what dove? Please stop? Please don't stop? Please forgive you? Please what Hermione?"

Thumbing her clit again as he pounded into her he could feel his balls start to tightened as his release climbed its way along his spine and up his cock.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make you angry. I liked the way you looked at me and I missed what we had already done. I only wanted to keep you looking at me that way until you were able to have me. I was afraid…"

The choked words slithered along his brain and froze his entire body as he released her neck to hold her more gently against him with his arm wrapped around her chest and his hand holding gently to her shoulder. Pulling out of her body he carefully turned her around so he could look her in the eyes.

"Afraid of what love?"

With a flick of his hand he vanished their clothing and lifted her leg as he gently pushed her up against the wall. Sliding back into her, face to face with his nose touching hers he watched hers eyes close as she gave a breathy moan.

"Tell me Hermione…what could you possibly have been afraid of with me? You know I would never truly hurt you."

He watched that old light of insecurity come into her eyes and he stopped moving again, his hips pressed against her body so he was sheathed completely inside her.

"You are always surrounded by such beautiful, successful witches who are older and more mature. I can't help but wonder why you would keep choosing me when you have so many other, better options to choose from."

He felt his anger raise again and with it some of the darkness inside him. Grabbing her hands above her head again, he held them in one hand as he gripped her leg with the other and rolled his hips so the head of his cock brushed against her sweet spot while his length rubbed against her clit. She shuttered and closed her eyes as her head fell back against the wall.

"Look at me!"

His tone of voice was deeper and darker and he knew his magic was rolling in warm waves along his skin, licking at his nerves and feeding him that sinful pleasure that always came with using it. He wanted so much to be able to caress her with his magic and let her feel that same pleasure deep inside her as he rode her to orgasm and listened to her scream her release. That would come soon enough…but first…

"Why would you ever doubt me? Have I said or done something that would make you think I would want anyone besides you?"

She shook her head no, her eyes a mix of shame and desire, confusion washing through him at which emotion to feed or deal with. He didn't want her ashamed or upset and he didn't want to leave her wanting when she was upset. Time to change his plans for this little rendezvous.

"I'm not sure who I have to kill for making you feel like you are not pretty enough or good enough to wholly want but when I find out they will not be breathing happily in this time line."

Leaning into her so his skin touched as much of hers as possible, he leaned his head against hers again as he began to roll his hips, letting his still hard cock glide along her channel with infinite care.

"I will have to pay attention for just a moment to try to see whatever it is you see. When I am with other people, they are just bodies that can talk. Other than a select few, that part of me did not change Hermione. I do not look at another female and see a female…I see a minion who is there to do my bidding and then go fuck off. My care for this world and the way it is running is based solely and entirely on you. Anyone that gets in the way of the progress I wish to make…for you…is an obstacle that must be eliminated and we all know I have no qualms about that."

She sucked in her breath as she processed that statement and he waited knowing she would reply.

"Tom…you can't just go around eliminating any and everyone who opposes you! You have got to start figuring out how to take on your opposition without Voldemorting out!"

Lifting her leg higher up on his arm so she was open more to him, he picked up his pace just enough to slide in and out of her with more force and precision instead of rolling along her walls…his chuckle turning to a groan as her hot sheath massaged his already aching and denied length.

"Did you just turn my villain name into a verb love?"

She giggled and gasped at the same time as he hit a particularly sensitive spot and keeping her distracted he continued to hit the same spot now that he had found it.

"I…yes…I did."

Her words stuttered out as her walls contracted and another flood of warm wetness coated his cock. Closing his eyes to the pleasure he gave in to his needs and hers, picking up his rhythm to slide into her with deep, hard thrusts again but this time chasing her pleasure so he could have his.

"You have no need to tease me to get that look from me or keep me interested Hermione. The only woman I see in that fashion is you. It may not have been in our bodies but I gave you my innocence at the same time that I took yours all those years ago…and just last year when I finally got you back. I didn't just wait to be with you again…I waited to be with you for the first time. I watched and I learned and I created spells to ensure I could last even in my inexperience so I could give you pleasure."

Her eyes open in realization and shock only made his need flare as she finally understood what he had been saying all along to her. She was his and only his and he had been hers and only hers.

"But I have never needed, wanted, or desired anyone else but you. That look I get…normally I have to hide it so I don't scare or offend anyone else in our circle. If I could I would look at you like I want to eat you alive all the time because that is exactly what I want to do. I want you in my arms all day long and in my bed every night. I want to hear you talk and laugh and tease other people knowing you are all mine and when the sun goes down I want to hear that same voice cry out in breathless pleasure as I take you over and over again."

She inhaled a ragged breath, her panting increasing as he pushed her closer to her own peak of release.

"Consider the slate clean again. No more of this worry that I will somehow want someone other than you Hermione."

As he talked he punctuated his point with his body, pushing her higher up towards her orgasm and keeping his eyes locked on her as he did so.

"The only woman I want in my arms is you. The only woman I want to bury my cock inside of until I can't think straight is you."

Gripping her hair and tilting her head back to kiss her, he took a moment to worship her mouth the same way his body was worshiping hers, long sure strokes of his tongue along hers, dominating her senses until he was all she could think about again.

"You are the only woman who has seen every part of me and you will only ever be the only one. You own my heart and my body, my mind and my soul Hermione. Without you I am just a dark wizard with a penchant for violence and absolutely no care or mercy. Without you I create things like Lord Voldemort…with you I create beauty and love and life. There is no one in this entire world no matter how beautiful they are on the outside that can hold a candle to you in my eyes dove…no one."

Kissing her again, her whimpers vibrating against his lips and her hands pulling him closer as he released them to hold her face gently in his, Tom let himself get lost in her, his words fading away on the pleasure her entire being gave him.

"No more doubts or worries. Come for me my love. Give me your pleasure so I may take mine from you. Fall over that ledge with me and I swear to you I will always be the one there to catch you Hermione..."

His words brushed against her lips as he nibbled along her bottom lip and with one final thrust she came apart, her cries swallowed by his kiss as her body shattered into a million pieces only to be remade and shatter again as the pleasure continued to roll through her. Knowing his knees were going to give out, Tom used just enough magic to transport them to her room, both falling back into her bed panting.

Straddling him Hermione started to ride him, her hips rolling in a sensual rhythm as his release rushed towards his cock. Reaching up he placed a hand on her stomach and started to utter the words to keep her safe when she placed her finger on his lips to silence him.

"Maybe in my other life I would have wanted a career first and then a family. I've seen war and death…tasted both, felt the pain of both. I have come face to face with the entity known as death while being dragged back up from oblivion. Like I said during my speech…the most important thing to life is the people in it…the people you share it with. You have waited almost a lifetime to be with me Tom and the only thing I want to do right now is be with you…love you…start a family with you…if that is what you want?"

His chest aching in the familiar way he has grown used to, Tom pulls his hand away and sits up, holding her against him with eyes he knows are filled with love he can't hide.

"Anything you are willing to have with me I want HG…anything!"

"I want everything with you Tom so I guess we will be quite busy and fulfilled for a long time to come."

At her words he can't help but groan…the very thought of her giving him everything enough to push him over the edge. Pulling her tightly against him, his face resting gently against one breast, her nipple rolling along his tongue, he let his orgasm crash over him and his release coat her inside, his every hope that it would take root and he would see her grow with his child very soon.


	43. Chapter 43-Ties That Bind

**Greetings fanfictionists!**

**I know this one seems late but it was one I had to do some research on. As I was asked by Moon to give them a wedding with the details, I had to actually go and find what I wanted. As I never did a big wedding myself...this took some effort lol. I told my coven never to ask for the actual wedding again cause I felt like muse-zilla while trying to get it all right. Though I did not go into every single aspect, I hope I gave enough description so that you can envision it Moonbeam!**

**Now that this one is done I should be able to write the rest as I have been...quickly and easily lol. Hope you all enjoy!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Hermione sat staring into the mirror in front of her. In a few minutes she would leave the bridal suite she was in and take her place at the entrance into the Prince Manor gardens. Severus and Acanthara had spared no expense on making sure the charms were just right so that the temperature outside was perfect for an outdoor wedding in the summer. After discussing it with her fiancé she had decided to get married on the day they had first met in his life time…August 27th.

Noira Prince, her maid of honor, or as Thorn like to say her witch of honor, was putting the finishing touches on her hair as she read the words forming across the page of her journal…the journal she had gotten from Tom on her graduation day…the day she had conceived the little miracle growing inside her at that very moment and the day he proposed.

_Holding the journal in her lap as she listened to Harry and Draco telling a story to the parents in the room about the most recent pranks they had done this year, she felt a warmth start and with a curious glance she opened the cover to the first page._

'_Hello my sweet Dove. I thought I would show you that it isn't just a normal journal to remind you of our time but one that was created so we could talk no matter where we are or what you are doing.'_

_She knew her smile was bright as she looked up to meet his gaze across the room. His smile was the secret one just for her and her heart picked up as she shivered and remembered what had happened not an hour ago when he had that same look. Feeling the warmth of it again, she realized he hadn't moved to write anything. Looking down she looked back up with large, impressed eyes as the words registered._

'_With this journal I can keep my eyes on you and tell you dirty things like I want to bury my head between your creamy thighs and devour you until you give up more of your sweet nectar while everyone else is around.'_

_She knew her face had to be heating and yet she really couldn't be bothered to care. Everything he said and did was always to bring a smile to her face or pleasure rushing through her limbs and she had resolved to just enjoy every minute of it. His eyebrow rose as she felt heat again and as she looked down her entire world just stopped._

'_I love you so much Hermione that sometimes it makes my heart ache still. Will you do me the honor of being my wife and filling the last dark spot in my soul with a piece of yours?'_

_Her head snapped up as the room went silent and he appeared in her peripheral vision. Kneeling on one knee before her surrounded by all their family and friends, he held a beautiful black box up, the top open to reveal a simple but elegant ring. The gems were the princess cut she absolutely adored and she knew the ring was from the past, present, future collection the muggles had started and the goblins had taken a liking to and marketed._

_The past and present smaller gems were black diamonds that sparkled with the magic that had been used to shape and craft them. The center gem she knew had been custom made as it swirled from red to green, a ruby and an emerald shaped and melded together to create a whole piece. The platinum gold band gleamed silver and as she looked closer she noticed there was an engraving of a lion on one side and a snake on the other and inside the swirling middle gem was the faint impression of two doves flying side by side._

_Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up to meet his beautiful baby blues and as her heart fell in love all over again she smiled and held her hand out to him._

'_You never even had to ask…I have been yours from the first time you asked me to dance and I have never been able to catch my breath or my heart since. I told you I was your secret to collect…you just had to catch up."_

_She winked at him as he gave her that very rare sweet smile that she was pretty sure no one else in the room had ever seen. Taking the ring out and sliding it on her finger he murmured a few words and she felt layers of protections spin up and around her, dark and alluring and completely surrounding her in his magical signature. Sliding out of the chair and into his arms as he knelt fully, she met his lips with hers, her love for him and her hunger stirring her own magic up to run across her skin everywhere they touched._

They had disapparated and left everyone in the drawing room as he had taken her back to her room to make love to her again and again until they were both so tired neither could have moved to even defend themselves from attack. She had no idea which one of those times their little sprout had been conceived but she knew it had been that day.

From that moment until now she had been preparing for the wedding and taking time with private tutors to learn the different parts of the Ministry and how each was run. She had every intention of helping Tom keep his vision going in the correct direction and needed to know all she could to feel like she was on equal footing with him and his advisory council.

The door opened and Chara stuck her head in with a huge grin on her face. Her dark brown locks were piled atop her head in a very haphazard style that she had called a Mohawk braid. Her obsession with all things muggle had played a huge part in the wedding planning in the end and Hermione had been all too amused to let her have free reign on the bride's maids.

"It's almost time kid…you ready?"

Hermione chuckled at the nickname. Chara was only a year older than the rest of them but still never let go of calling them all kid as they grew. Of course there were times when she was around Chara and some of the boys that she thought that one year may have made that much of a difference.

"Pretty sure I was born ready for this day Chara…is everyone else ready to go?"

Chara winked at her and came fully into the room. The roman style wrap around dress clung to her curves like a lover and gently swayed at the bottom to brush the tops of her feet. One shoulder was bare while the other came together in a delicate and intricate knot. Fabric hung from the knot down her back almost like a scarf would. The acromantula silk had been died a lovely shade of sky blue at the top and faded into a deeper Ravenclaw blue near the hem. The multiple shades of blue made Chara look like she was the ocean come alive and walking on land with mere mortals. It helped that the magic in the dress also gave it the illusion of gentle waves as she glided across the floor.

Her shoes were simple open toed strappy heels the color of the bottom of the dress. All of their toes had been done by a very sweet house elf in the typical French manicure style. Chara had added a small anklet that had a raven in flight that caught the light anytime her leg appeared out of the slit that ended at mid-thigh. All in all she looked like a Greek Goddess and Hermione could not wait to see Harry's face when she walked down the aisle and took her place at the front.

"You have nothing to fret over or worry about Hermione. Everyone is ready to go and everything is in its place. I promise today is going to be everything you dreamed up and more. You look breathtaking!"

Turning to glance at herself one more time, Hermione had to admit that she did look pretty spectacular all dolled up. Per Chara's instructions she had left her hair down, curling along her back and shoulders in large ringlets. The tiara on her head was a mix of emeralds and diamonds that matched all of her other jewelry right down to the princess stone cut. Her dress was an A line gown with a sweetheart sleeveless bodice of the same silk accented with lace. The very center between her breasts was not fabric but dark emeralds from the Riddle vault that had been sown carefully onto her dress.

Thin threads of Slytherin green silk had been sown along the bodice, down the flared princess dress and along the hem. The back was laced up with another ribbon of green silk to give the dress an almost corset fit across her breasts and along her ribs. That ribbon ended in another intricate knot that threaded through another set of emeralds that lay against her lower back. Tiny chips of emerald had been sown in at the hem as well to give her a shimmer and shine when she walked and just like in the fairy tales, her shoes were made of fairy glass and made her feel like her own version of Cinderella.

Her make-up had been done in slightly darker tones to match her dark green gems. Her eyes were smokey but instead of black, Noira had used a special green that matched perfectly to her tiara. Her lashes curled thick and long and her eyes were ringed by the dark kohl that Tom loved to see on her. Her cheeks had a hint of ruby to them and her lips had been painted with a dark red Acanthara had called 'Wicked'. The overall finish had given her the look of an innocent princess and a dark seductress. She knew Tom had had a hand in the makeup as he preferred the darker look. He liked to say it made her look like his 'Dark Lady' which she always laughed about.

"Thanks Chara…I feel breath taking for once."

"Then let's go get you hitched shall we?"

All three girls laughed as Noira helped her up and holding the sides of her billowing skirt they made their way out of the room and down the long hall to where the other members of the bridal party were waiting. Little Hemera Black looked like a fairy princess in her flower girl dress and her mother Nyxx was checking on the pins in her hair to make sure it was going to stay put. Draco's little brother Scorpius was standing with the same aristocratic arrogance as his father and his brother, his hair combed neatly into place and his tux with the blue bow tie looked well suited to his white-blonde hair and angular features. In his hand was the ceremonial bowl that held the rings and the binding ribbon.

Acanthara was making last minutes checks on the reception with the wedding planner and her dress, which was an exact replica of Chara's, looked just as stunning on her as she fluttered about keeping everything moving. Hermione felt her eyes grow moist again as Acanthara's head came up and she smiled her radiant smile of approval in her direction. Coming over she lifted her wand and cast a spell so Hermione's tears would not fall and ruin her make up but disappear as they left her eyes, she pulled her into a tight hug, the warmth of her skin relaxing Hermione once more.

"You look so beautiful my sweet girl. He is not going to know what to do with himself when he sees you. How about we get this started and get you bound to your dark knight?"

As she pulled back Hermione gave a watery chuckle and nodded her head. Making sure everyone had their bouquet of daffodils and rain lilies, they lined up with Hemera in the front leading the way, Scorpius behind her standing tall and confident. Chara would be the first to walk in, followed by Acanthara and then Noira. Hermione smiled at her father as he came to take her arm, his eyes shining with tears of happiness. He handed her the bouquet of Calla Lilies and Forget-Me-Nots that she had chosen, a symbol of memories and rebirth that had felt right at the time she had been trying to choose.

As the music began and Hemera stepped out into the garden decorated with the calla lilies and blooming in beautiful summer colors, Hermione felt her heart skip a beat before settling into a pounding rhythm of excitement and nervousness. People always talked about getting cold feet at the last minute but it wasn't going to be on her end. She couldn't wait to say the words and become Hermione Jean Riddle…she only hoped she could be as good to him as he had been to her over the years.

She watched as Scorpius started to walk, head held high with that smile smirk thing that she swore only the Malfoy's could pull off. The arrogance melted to a sweet smile as he passed him mother and Shaecia Malfoy dabbed at her eyes as she smiled back. Chara turned to give her one more encouraging wink before she stepped out, her hips swaying gently as she most likely locked eyes with Harry. Hermione just shook her head knowing that girl was tormenting the hell out of her best friend with just her eyes. Acanthara went next, her head up and her eyes glued to her husband as she walked to the beautiful music towards her place at the front.

Noira turned once more to double check her hair, pulling a few more strands over her shoulders to hang along her bodice. Hermione gave her a smile of thanks and as Noira turned and started forward, the pounding of her own heart picked up again. With a loving squeeze of his hand, her father started to move forward, his smile proud as he straightened his back.

"He is a fine man baby girl and I know he will treat you well. I have never been more secure in handing you into the hands of another man but you will always be my little girl…remember that yeah?"

She smiled through her tears and pulled him down so she could kiss his cheek. As the music changed they started forward, her eyes taking in the crowd first. Her side was filled with friends and family who knew of the magical world or were part of it. Tom's side was filled with Ministry minions and people he relied on to do his bidding. All she could think about was labeling them all Riddlion 1, 2, and 3 and her smile quirked to the side as she thought it.

Letting her eyes traveling to the front she gave Brax a nod. He looked handsome in his tux, as did every Malfoy ever born, and she was glad he had become enough of a friend for Tom to ask him to stand with him on this day. Next to him was her sponsor and a man she knew she would always respect and count as someone she loved. Severus looked just as breathtaking in the tux as Brax…just the darker version of the coin. Next to Severus was Tom's best friend and the closest thing he had to a brother. Avery looked sharp in his tux, the blue bowtie causing his eyes to deepen in color. He looked young and healthy and she was pretty sure that had something to do with the fae he had so recently mated with.

As her eyes turned one last time they locked with those baby blues she loved so much. His gaze was filled with love and adoration and the heat that always made her insides melt and quiver and as their eyes locked everything else faded away. She no longer heard the music or saw the people…just him. She knew ritual words were said as her father handed her to Tom but as their skin touched her entire body tuned to his and she barely even felt the kiss on her cheek before she was standing at his side.

The Priestess spoke to the crowd, words that had to do with union and love and blessings from the gods but all Hermione could hear was a dull roar of noise. Her magic had rushed to the edge of her skin as if it knew it was finally going to be joined with its other half. She could feel the buzz of his magic along her skin and as his eyes darkened with desire she knew the rush of power that was going to come from him would be almost orgasmic. Severus and Acanthara had both warned her that joining magic with your spouse was a rush…more so if their magic was dark in nature. Examining herself she realized the only thing she felt was anticipation at what was to come.

The ceremony went by in a blur until they both had on their rings, hands tied loosely together with the binding ribbon and it was their turn to speak their vows. Looking into her eyes, Hermione felt her heart melt as she saw the slight glean of tears in his.

"Hermione…you are my heart. Without you I would never have known what it felt like to truly love or be loved. You gave me a chance at family, at friendship, at a life worth living. Your light saved me from the darkness that has always plagued me and you will forever be the dove that brings peace to my soul. I give myself to you in all ways. My heart, my mind, my body, my magic, and my soul will forever be yours to hold and protect. By magic, by these vows, and by blood I bind myself to your will and into your care from today until the end of all things."

As he spoke the words the Priestess cut a small line across his palm. She felt the magic swirl around them and build in strength, a dark caress against her skin that made her eyes dip in want as she shivered with her own desires.

"Tom…you are the air I breathe. Without you I would never have had a chance to truly live or love. You selflessly gave of yourself so that I could have a chance at family, at friendship, at a life worth living. Your strength of will pulled me from the arms of Death itself and continues to bring me a sense of security and safety. I give myself to you in all ways. My heart, my mind, my body, my magic, and my soul will forever be yours to hold and protect. By magic, by these vows, and by blood I bind myself to your will and into your care from today until the end of all things."

As the Priestess cut a line across her palm, her magic rushed past the surface of her skin and up into the swirling vortex of power that had surrounded them. Turning her hand she laid it palm up and watched as Tom's hand came to rest on hers palm down. As their blood touched and mingled, the Priestess tied the ribbon tighter to seal them together. Leaning forward as if pulled and pushed at the same time by some force, Hermione met Tom's lips. That first brush sent a wave of pure fire burning through her and as she gasped he took advantage and deepened the kiss.

His magic flooded into her as she felt a piece of her deep inside splinter off and rush towards her beloved. The lick of his power caused her knees to weaken and as he caught her up against him she felt that piece pf herself settle inside him just as a piece of him slid into her to fill the emptiness that had been left behind. She had no concept of time as their magic reformed and reshaped itself until they were one being, one soul with two hearts beating in synchronicity. She never had any idea just how alone she was in her skin until now and she knew that if he ever left her she would follow because there was no way she would ever be able to go back to being just Hermione.

As the rush of magic burst at its crescendo, Tom pulled his mouth from hers and smiled that special smile down at her. His eyes were hot and she could feel his want against her stomach but he leashed his need and made sure she was steady on her feet, though he never took his arms from around her.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Witches and Wizards, I present to you Lord Tom Marvolo Riddle and his wife Lady Hermione Jean Riddle."

As her friends cheered in a riot of sound, the only thing she focused on was the warm glow inside her that proved she was once again bound to her soulmate. Nothing in either of her lifetimes had ever felt so right.

"Told you one day you'd be my wife."

His voice low and filled with love, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"I couldn't be happier that in this you were right. I love you baby boy."

"And I love you my little dove."

Their lips came together gently as the crowd cheered again and the world faded away for her but the man in her arms.


	44. Chapter 44-Happily After

**Greetings my fellow Fanfictionists!**

**I apologize for this late update. Last week I was working on other works and reading for a recharge and earlier this week I was in the hospital for random pains that apparently have no known cause. Maybe I'm just getting old and my body decided it hated me on Monday. Either way I am doing fine now and wanted to get this to you as soon as I could. Would have had it yesterday but I came back to lots of work after being off two days so by the time I got caught up, my mind was a waste land lol.**

**Only warning here is lemons scattered here and there. Oh and tons of fluff because I'm rolling around in it right now! Hope you enjoy as we wind down closer and closer to the end. All my love!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

It was already after eleven in the evening and the reception was going just as strong as when it had started four hours earlier. The music was a mix of muggle and magical bands and all of Hermione's friends were on the dance floor with her, waving their hands and bobbing their heads…some gyrating their hips against their partners in a very unseemly parody of sex. Tom had never bothered to pay attention to younger witches and wizards outside of the Hogwarts gates but if this was how they now acted in public…he thought they might need to implement a new part to the etiquette classes that happened before school started.

Shaking his head at his old-time views he turned his eyes from that scarring display and back to his beautiful wife. She had changed out of her wedding dress and was in a dress made just like the bride's maid dresses, only hers was white with a Slytherin green silk ribbon tied around her waist to hold the shape of the Romanesque style in place. Her hair was still in those lovely thick curls down her back and her eyes were alight with the pleasure of the company she was surrounded by.

Regulus' daughter Chara seemed to be telling some sort of story as the girls danced to the current tune and every once in a while her hand gestures would become so over pronounced that it would send Hermione into a fit of laughter. Noira and Luna were listening with half an ear while also talking about…well he shuttered to think about what the little half-fae witch could be dragging his granddaughter into now. He knew Miss Dashon had been out there with them at one point but as he looked around he found her snuggled up to Thorn and his grandson had never looked more content then he did at the moment.

All the other guests were either milling about the banquet tables or the bar and he figured he had been patient enough. The toasts were over, the cake was cut, the first dance and father daughter dance done…both of them as Severus refused to not get one himself as her magical father. He had done his duty as husband and groom and he was ready to have his wife all to himself. Setting his glass of champagne down he headed her way, his gait slow and steady, his eyes burning with his need to taste what was his once more. He knew his aura was weaving around the crowd in a predatory manner as those in his way stepped aside when he got close.

As if she sensed his approach, Hermione turned her head and he watched her eyes go from alight with amusement to smoldering with need. Her hand fluttered up to her neck in a protective gesture but her chest rose and fell in pants as her body heated for his touch. He knew that look well now…and he planned to provide exactly what she needed as soon as he could get her away from the crowd and to their home.

He didn't say a word and he knew he didn't have to anymore. Reaching his hand out he kept his eyes on her, his hair falling across his sight as he bent his head to look down at her from his vantage point. The girls around them all giggled and Chara he watched fan herself from his peripheral vision as Hermione gathered her senses and reached for his hand. As their palms made contact, their magic collided against each other and his cock hardened to a painful level as it pushed against the seam of his trousers beneath the jacket's lapels. He could smell her arousal in the air and with a growl he pulled her into his arms, nodded his head in Severus' direction and spun them to the side and away.

They landed with a soft bounce in the center of their king sized bed and without waiting for her to get her bearings, he kissed her hard, his tongue diving in as soon as she opened up for him, tangling with her own as their passion and need overflowed. He undid the buttons on his trousers and let the zipper down, pushing them off his hips far enough for his cock to spring free. Grabbing the ends of the dress he pushed the fabric up and out of his way enough to get to her bare center and with one powerful thrust he buried himself all the way inside her body.

Hermione cried out and arched her back, her legs lifting to wrap around him as she tilted her hips up so he would slide even deeper inside her. Knowing he had all night and every day from this point forward, Tom let his darkness loose and took her in a rush of hard thrusts and brutal precision, sending her flying over the edge as he held her arms down to the bed. Continuing with the fast snaps of his hips he pushed her higher and higher, her pleading and crying his name the sweetest sound he had heard since her vows tonight, and as she crested over the edge into her release again he followed her, coating her with his pleasure as his need simmered down inside him.

Falling to the side so he didn't put all of his weight on her, Tom rolled them over, her legs still wrapped around him and still buried inside of her body. As he let his heart rate return to normal he gentle rolled his hips, his length sliding out of her and back in slowly, stroking every inch of her tight channel. Her breathy sigh felt like a caress along his body. He would have to reward Severus later for the potion that was going to ensure he could take his wife over and over again before the night ended.

With that in mind he bent his head and gentle took her lips this time. As his hips continue to roll in sensual strokes, he made love to her mouth as well, caressing her tongue with his own, nipping at her lips before sucking them into his mouth. Taking his time and feasting on her sighs and moans as he lazily pushed her to her peak again and let her gently fall over it. Rolling so she was under him once more, he continued to take her slowly, letting her feel his love through his magic and their bond, as well as the way he held her, touched her, took her to new heights with his body.

He lost count of the hours he spent in her body, knowing only that he had been granted a place in heaven and he was going to stay for as long as he was able. By the time the potion wore off and they collapsed in each other's arms in exhaustion, Tom knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he had made the right choice all those years ago. Nothing in this world could be more satisfying or empowering…not even immortality.

* * *

Tom came through the door with a bouquet of blood red roses. It had been three months since their wedding and every day he brought her a different bundle of flowers. Today they had been married exactly three months to the day and he thought red roses would be appropriate since she had filled his life with so much passion and love that he sometimes couldn't feel anything else but joy.

Taking his coat off and handing it gently to their house elf Mimsy he inquired where his beautiful bride was. Nodding his head as he got the answer, he took the flowers and headed up the stairs to the second floor of their manor. Though his manor had not been as large as Malfoy or Prince manor, it was just right for his little dove. She hated the idea of having too much space to disappear into and the smaller six room manor was more to her taste. Passing the drawing room at the top of the stairs he headed down towards their master bedroom, his shoes making a hushed sound as he glided across the carpet.

Stopping at the door just before their room, he leaned against the door frame and watched her as she folded more baby clothes that had been brought to her by any one of her ridiculous friends. Ever since they had announced her pregnancy, she had been getting gift after gift for the baby from everyone they knew. She had started nesting this past month and began to set the room up to the way she wanted it…with his or the elves help if the object required assembly or was heavy. As she had expected, he was completely overbearing in his need to keep her safe and he was lucky she loved him enough to deal with it.

Looking at her from the back you couldn't tell at all that she was with child. Though the healers had told him multiple times that she was eating healthy and her weight gain was just fine, he continued to try to ply her with more food. He just always assumed she would gain more to her natural frame then she was at the moment. When she turned to the side however, there was no mistaking what condition she was in, as was evident when she felt his stare on her. Her rounded midsection came into view before she turned her face and he knew he was wearing the goofy smile he couldn't seem to help getting when he saw her carrying his spawn…the term given to his poor child by Avery.

His eyes traveled slowly up to her face, taking in every curve, the fullness of her breasts, the glow of her skin and the love in her eyes as he met them. His body slammed hard with want and he had to fight to keep the creature that was his lust caged. Holding up his hand he presented her with the roses, walking over to her as she headed his way. Taking the flowers she inhaled their fragrance deeply before walking to lay them gently on the rocking chair. Coming back to him she ran her palms along his chest until her arms wrapped around his neck and she gave herself over to his care completely, her kiss soft and sweet as she let him guide her into sensual bliss.

It was like that every day that he came home and every day he thanked any god that would listen for his fortune and never took it or her for granted. Pulling back he smoothed the hair away from her face and kissed her nose.

"The room is coming along beautifully. What did your insane friends bring you today?"

Her giggle warmed his heart even as his cock twitched against his zipper, wanting out so it could bury inside the warm, wet core of the one who caused its torment.

"Well Chara and Harry came by with more clothes and another package of diapers. Luna brought the large stuffed lion in the corner over there and to make sure there was balance Draco brought the large-r snake stuffed animal that is now wrapped menacingly around said lion. Those two are quite…ridiculous aren't they?"

Her smile was the secret one they shared between them, the one he knew meant they were of one mind and no one else was included. He hated to admit it but sometimes his jealousy would show its ugly head even when it was just her friends around and she had learned how to sooth that beast as well. If ever a more perfect match had been made for him…he had never found it.

"I am not sure which I find to be more…appalling. The lion for obvious reasons…"

Her light smack to his chest made his body well with amusement but he kept his face very serious as he continued to eye the atrocities in the corner of his son's room.

"Or that snake which is just large enough to be preposterous and utterly undignified to own. Remind me to speak to the Minister later about raising his son to be so intemperate."

Putting her hand on his chest she walked him backwards as she talked until his back hit the wall.

"Now, now my love…can't have you offending or in reality scaring poor Lucius with your humor. You know they do not all know you as I do and would think any word said in jest is a true sign of displeasure. I happen to like Draco just as he is and I do not want him to get an ear full from his father because you decided to play unhappy dictator."

"Who says I would be playing…"

As her hands made quick work of his button and zipper and his trousers fell down his legs with a brush of sound to pool at his ankles, her eyes turned dark with excitement.

"In this you would be because you would not want to upset your queen. However, I know just what you need to forget all about the excessive pureblood behavior happening in our home."

Slowing lowering to her knees, she kept her eyes on his, only to be stopped before she could get settled.

"You shouldn't be on your knees in your condition…it can't be comfortable."

With a slight shimmy of her body, he released her arms and she settled before him like a worshipper in supplication to their god. Her eyes held his as her hands slid up his bare thighs until she could gently set her nails into the skin at his hips.

"I'm pregnant baby boy…not dying…and if I want to drop to my knees and pay homage to my Dark Lord…I shall. Are you going to deny me the pleasure of taking you inside me until I can taste your magic along my tongue and have your essence spill down my throat?"

"Never my Lady…I could never deny you anything."

His voice came out low and husky. He started to clear his throat only to moan and lay his head back with a thud against the wall as her warm mouth surrounded the tip of his length and sucked so sweetly. All thoughts of protest at her position or her needs left his head as his goddess of a wife took him to heaven once again.

* * *

Her cry of pain had his magic sparking off of him and stinging along Avery and Severus as they held him in place. He had been kicked out of the birthing room over an hour ago as his inability to shut him emotions down behind his fraying occlumency shields became a hazard to the nurses and mediwitch in the room. He had no idea how other wizards dealt so calmly with this but he swore she was going on the contraception potion as soon as it was safe for her and the baby. He was never going to live through this harrowing moment again.

Another cry and push from her and another series of sparks from him had Avery wincing and his guilt tripled as he knew he was once again hurting his best friend and couldn't seem to get a handle on it this time.

"Forgive me my brother…my son…I am not trying to hurt you. Why can't I get control of my magic?"

"Your wife…the very reason you live is in pain and there is nothing you can do to help her…it would drive and has driven many a wizard beyond their control father."

Severus' low voice registered deep inside his core and his magic responded to the familiar darkness that came from him. Settling along the surface of his skin, Tom took the moment of reprieve to lay his head down on Avery's shoulder, his body trembling with the effort to keep himself in check. Avery's hand came up to lie on the back of his neck as he felt the other man's forehead touch the back of his own head.

"She is going to be fine brother. You chose a very strong willed and hard headed witch. She is going to give you a strong son to hold and teach and watch grow just as you did with Severus and she is going to stand beside you through it all. There are times we cannot protect our hearts and we must trust in our women to do it for us…trust yours now and just breathe."

Holding tight to Avery's words, Tom kept his breathing slow and steady…even when another louder and harsher cry of pain came from the room his dove was in. Feeling Severus' dark magic roll over him like warm licks of heat from a fire as Avery's magic washed through him like a cool rain, he gained control of his own magic and carefully put his shields back in place one inch at a time until he felt in control again.

The door opened to the room and Tom's head shot up along with everyone else's. The nurse smiled at them all and then looked over at Tom, meeting his eyes with no fear.

"She wants you in here for the last few pushes. She is refuses to bring your son into the world without his father in the room to see it. Can you hold your magic in check Lord Riddle?"

At his nod, the nurse stepped back and held the door open wide. With quick steps he left the men who were so much more to him than just family and rushed to his wife's side. Her hand lifted as he came into range and he gripped it gently but with an urgency he knew she would feel.

"I'm here…stop being obstinate you little Gryffindor and bring our son into this world so I can stop cursing him in my head for causing you such pain."

Her laugh was full of exhaustion but no less sweet and the warmth from it settled his nerves. If she could still laugh then Avery was right…she was going to be fine. At the mediwitches prompt, his dove gathered her strength and will and pushed with all she was. Her cry was echoed at the foot of the bed as his son was lifted out and away from her body, his little arms flailing in anger at being taken from his warm haven. Taking him in hand, the nurses cleaned him as quickly as possible and brought him over to lie across Hermione's chest, the skin to skin contact settling him as nothing else seemed to be able to do.

"Oh my…it seems your son's magical signature was stronger than we realized Lady Riddle. You are not quite done yet it seems. I am going to need you to let his father hold him so we can get his twin out as well."

The shock ricocheted through him even as Hermione's eyes widened and the nurse carefully took their son and placed him in his arms.

"How is that possible?"

The confusion in his wife's voice had him glaring at the room full of nurses and the mediwitch, who took his look with a shrug.

"It seems he was protecting his sibling by shielding him or her with his magic. Every scan only ever showed him…always in front and always alone. If I had to take a guess with the way his father is glaring murderous intent at us all…it's a girl and he was protecting his baby sister with everything in him."

That stopped his heart in his chest as he thought about a little girl with Hermione's face and hair and eyes looking up at him in some frilly dress Shaecia had bought that Hermione would utterly hate but dress her in as to not offend and he couldn't help but grin. Prompted again to push, he held his son close to his chest as he watched his wife labor once more to bring their second child into the world. He had a feeling he could lay this somehow at Severus' feet again but as he couldn't figure out how…he let it go for the moment.

Another cry rent the air and as the nurse proceeded to do the same process, he watched in awe as another baby was laid along Hermione's chest, her head covered in a dark black fuzz of hair just like her brother's. Coming over he laid his son next to his sister and could feel the moment their magic realigned and attached to each other the same way he had always felt from Noira and Thorn. No matter what happened in life now…his children would never feel a moment of loneliness…not while they had each other.

"So…what names have you chosen so we can announce the arrival to your friends and family?"

Hermione's eyes pulled away from the little ones to look up at him with so much love that he felt like he couldn't breathe. Her gentle nod was all he needed and he kissed her sweetly before looking over at the Mediwitch.

"Rhydian Thomas Riddle and Avery Selene Riddle…"

She nodded and left to go inform all waiting in the waiting room of the newest good fortune to have graced the Riddle family…in duplicate. Expanding the bed, Tom carefully lay beside his wife, his arms around her and just under the babies little bottoms, his entire being calm and at peace as he held his family.


	45. Chapter 45-Cooing, Crawling, Walking

**Greetings and Salutations,**

**I know what you are all thinking...she used to update almost every day...now its once a week. Well I am working on other things you have not seen yet and as Secret is winding down to a close, I am not feeling rushed to finish it too fast lol. Though another chapter or two and I think I'm done. Figured I could get the twins off to Hogwarts, maybe show some of the others there with their younger kids who won't head out till a year or two later...who knows. No real plans, I just let it write what it wants lol.**

**Hope you enjoy this little bit of family fluff. No warnings needed unless cuteness coming counts. 3**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Tom stood behind his beautiful wife as she gently rocked back and forth in her handcrafted rocking chair. Her arms were wrapped around both the twins as they suckled sweetly of their mother's milk. It still amazed him that after learning that witch's used elf magic to safely extract their breast milk for their young and it didn't cause any issues in the process that his wife refused to do something so impersonal and was breast feeding the muggle way.

Tom had even tried to talk her out of it once so she would get better sleep and she had thrown one of her shoes at him as she stomped off yelling about the bonding process and that her babies would find comfort against her body while feeding no matter how the magical world did it! He had not spoken of it again.

To be fair and honest, he was not only turned on that his wife cared enough for their children to want to be completely involved in every single moment with them…it was humbling for him. He knew his own mother hadn't cared a bit for him beyond trying to trap his father into a loveless marriage. Had it not been for Hermione, he never would have bothered to have children. Who wanted the possibility of failing at something like that the way their own parents had?

As Avery's little mouth slipped and her face started to wrinkle in anger, Tom reached down and helped get her latch back on…a task his wife was unable to do alone with both babies feeding at once. The first few times Mimsy had helped until he realized how fulfilling it was and how close it made him feel to his family to be involved and help instead. Since that very first time…if he was home he was right behind her ready to help and being immersed in the entire process too.

Rhydian's eyes closed slowly before his little body went still and his mouth relaxed in sleep. Taking him from Hermione's arms, Tom softly walked back and forth, patting his back until he released that little bit of air. Not ready to let him go just yet, Tom continued to pace slowly, cuddling his son close to his heart as it beat a soothing rhythm in his chest…a heart Hermione had given him.

Gods above he loved her some days to absolute obsession and he worried his intensity would scare her off. Instead she only smiled up at him, told him he was Voldermorting out again and to go eat some chocolate. He had no idea why she always suggested the sweet treat but surprisingly the first time he had huffed off and done as she said…he had felt marginally better. Now there were bowls of the sweet confection scatter all over the manor for their use.

As Hermione shifted and stood, cradling Avery against her, he turned and followed her to the crib. Though the twins now had their own cribs it seemed neither could really sleep without the other next to them. Severus and Acanthara had admitted that Thorn and Noira had been the same until close to their Hogwarts years. They had managed to finally separate them into their own beds at around nine so Tom wasn't worried about it anymore.

With nimble hands Hermione swaddled first Avery and then Rhydian as if she had been doing it for years, laying them side by side with one arm free so they could touch skin to skin. Both little ones snuffled for a moment before falling silent again and settling in for the night. He pulled Hermione into his side as they both watched their twins sleep and with a sigh she melted against him.

"They are so perfect aren't they? I think they are going to look more like you too. I feel for the girls and boys in Hogwarts in a few years. I have trouble not drooling on you and I'm married to you."

Looking up at him, her smile was full of love and humor and he let a chuckle slip out as he leaned down to gently kiss her lips.

"Give it time love…I still have hope their eyes will change to your honey brown and I think as they grow their faces may soften to take on a little more of your looks as well."

She shrugged with the smile still on her lips and turning towards her he lifted her into his arms and headed for their bedroom through the joining door. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she leaned in and nuzzled into him, her lips skimming along his skin before she nipped his ear. His cock hardened instantly and tented the front of his silk sleeping trousers. Wasting no time, Tom gently closed the door to their room, threw up a silencing spell, vanished their clothes, and slid inside his wife's body. As he did most nights, he made love to her slowly and sweetly until her pleasure spilled over in sighs and cries into the silence of the night before he chased his own desires.

Wrapping around her after they were both sated, he pulled her as close as he could get her and buried his nose in her hair. Lying like that was his heaven and if ever his life came to its end…this is where he wanted to be when it did.

* * *

Tom apparated into their foyer, already unbuttoning his coat. It had been a long and annoying day of debates and conversation, facts and reports, all so they could continue with the pre-Hogwarts education program he and Abraxas had set up years ago. The current Ministry had a few new employees who had started trying to make a fuss about the funds being used to educate both muggleborns and purebloods in cultures they didn't 'require' in their studies. Tom had been called in as a consultant and he had discovered the employees were from other countries that had moved here and did not approve of his vision for Magical Britain.

Lucius knew he had two weeks to turn their ignorance around and get them on board before Tom put option two into motion and they became a non-issue. Like he had told them all from day one…he would contain the darkness unless something or someone threatened his love and now his children. Leaving his annoyance and anger in the apparation room, Tom handed his coat to Mimsy and headed further into the manor, searching for his family.

It only took him a few rooms to find them. Hermione tended to keep them in the playroom, the play area in the library, or their room if it was nap time. It seemed she had found her way to the library today and as he walked in his baby girl's face made the last trace of his anger wash away. Her smile now held two little perfect teeth and was beaming as she looked up from her blocks as he walked in. No matter the day or how long or short he had been gone, she always greeted him with that same 'Look it's Daddy!' smile.

Scooping her up into his arms and then gently tossing her in the air, her squeal of delight alerted his wife and son of his return. Rhydian coo-laughed and reached his arms out from his mother's lap. Waltzing through the room spinning Avery, he stopped to bend and kiss Hermione's lips before setting Avery in her lap and scooping Rhy up to do the same with him. He laughed with complete abandoned too and it made Tom's chest ache in that familiar way.

Hermione stood and coming over wrapped her arm around his free side so that they formed a circle, the twins grabbing hands and grinning like a bunch of loons. Just having this moment validated once again that he had done the right thing not only for his wife but for all muggleborns that would find their way into the magical world. They deserved a life of love and acceptance as well.

"So…your son managed his first spark of accidental magic today…"

His head snapped to the side to look at her and with a raised eyebrow he couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face.

"It seems he did not want to be left to play on the floor with his toys. So he made my book fly across the room in his temper tantrum for my attention. Starting to think I should have named him Thomas 'I am just like my father' Riddle. He cannot stand when I am not paying him at least partial attention."

Though her words were meant to sound aggravated, her tone was warm and filled with affection. Winking at her with an unrepentant grin, he pulled out of her arms so he could sit and have a chat with his boy.

"Now Rhydian…mommy has to work sometimes and you have to be willing to let her have her space to do that. You can't always get her attention and time. Can you try for daddy?"

Rhydian patted his face with his chubby little hand, giggled at the funny faces Tom was making while talking, and then stuck his tongue out and blew a baby raspberry to mimic Tom.

"Sorry Dove…it seems he is not on board with that idea…but I did try for you."

Her laughter was sweet and uninhibited and he couldn't help chuckling along with her as he moved to the floor to play with his young while his wife went back to whatever research she was doing today for one of her masteries. He had been impressed when she had started the research part of her mastery. Then she had informed him one day when he realized she was researching something completely different the next week that she was getting all of the paper work and research out of the way for not one but four masteries at once.

He knew if it had not been for the threat of his return originally in her time line, she would have been a Ravenclaw and not a Gryffidnor. Her brain was one of the finest and most active in their world and he looked forward to seeing what she did and the improvements she came up with or made once she moved to working with him full time as a Ministry consultant.

* * *

The scream tore through the air and pierced to the very center of his soul. He knocked the chair over as he jumped to his feet and ran full tilt from his down stairs office to the doors leading to the back garden. Standing a few feet to the left with her wand in hand was Hermione, her face white as a sheet of parchment and her eyes pleading.

Standing in front of her with only a few arms lengths between them was his six year old daughter Avery and her twin brother. Both of them were side by side with their arms out as if they were blocking their mother from something. Rhydian, who hated upsetting his mother in any way looked terrified and had the sheen of tears starting to form in his eyes. Avery on the other hand looked fierce as she seemed to be staring down Hermione angrily.

"Avery...Rhydian…babies please that is not a pet. Just step slowly away from it so mommy can remove it from the garden….please."

Her voice trembled and he could feel the fear rolling off of her as her magic coiled tighter around his in preparation to strike as soon as she could. Pulling his shields up to block his own emotions, Tom stood tall and stern as he moved a step closer and took in his children.

"I don't know what you two have done to upset your mother…but you will do as she says right now!"

His tone made them both flinch and Rhydian started to move towards his mother when Avery looked over at him and hissed. For a moment the sound startled Tom and then he stood frozen as shock ran through him. Avery looked over at him and he could see her pleading for him to come to her rescue as she grabbed her brother's hand.

"_We didn't mean to scare her. We just wanted to show her our new friend."_

As the Parseltongue slipped easily from his daughter's lips and his son nodded his head as she talked, his tension eased and he stepped over to Hermione. Wrapping his arms around her body he slid his hand down her wand arm and lowered her wand to the ground.

"Whatever kind of snake it is that scared you so…it won't hurt them."

Her shoulders seemed to tremble as she stared at her children.

"They can talk to them too can't they?"

He nodded as he placed his head on her shoulder and waited for the moment she shut him out as the freak he was for that ability. He had kept it well hidden over the years as it was still considered to be a power that marked a wizard for the dark and he did not need any more marks against him. It felt like a lifetime but really was probably only a moment or two before she relaxed against him and sighed.

"Okay rules! They do not come in the house! You do not talk to snakes outside of this house or tell other people you can do that. You will start to learn and research how to handle and feed them and what kind they are so that you do not get hurt or hurt any of them. We will build a snake house thing in the garden for them to stay and be warm and safe and you can go visit them out there. Are we clear?"

He stood frozen in surprise once again though at this point he really shouldn't have been as his children both nodded, their eyes growing wide with shock themselves even as their lips curved up into identical smiles of joy.

"Oh….and you warn me next time before you surprise snake me okay? I almost had a heart attack and I could have seriously hurt the poor thing. Now introduce me to the newest member of the family…"

As she bent down and Avery and Rhydian talked excitedly over each other as they picked up the…well no wonder Hermione screamed, his children had befriended an Adder. Of all the snakes to find in the back yard, they had managed to find the poisonous one. Shaking his head, Tom bent his knees so he was level with the snake as well and greeted it with a series of hissed syllables, causing his children to stare at him as if he had grown another head.

"You….you can talk to snakes too Father?"

His son's face was so open that Tom didn't need legilimency to know he had gotten another point in the 'my dad is a super hero' in his son's mind. From the moment he had gotten a practice wand on his fifth birthday, Tom had been slowly teaching Rhy to harness and use his magic and even the simplest of spells had put stars in the boy's eyes. As far as he was concerned…his father was superman and you couldn't tell him differently. It had started more than one fight already with the little half-fae that belonged to his best friend. Avery's daughter was a fiery little burst of fae magic and Slytherin cunning and seemed to enjoy pushing Rhydian's buttons any chance she got.

"It's a family trait that can only be passed down in our bloodline. You are the great-great several times over grandson of Salazar Slytherin himself. He was able to talk to snakes as well. It's called Parseltongue."

"If it's a family trait then why can't we tell people about it or show them we can do it?"

Before he had a chance to speak, not sure how he was going to explain, his beautiful wife did it for him.

"Sadly baby boy…history has marked wizards and witches with the ability as dark magic users because they normally were. And though that is completely unfair, anyone found to have the ability is looked on in the same manner still. It is an unfortunate side effect of a great war that hurt many people and our community as a whole has not yet been able to see the wonderful trait without associating it with the dark magic stigma. So for now because I love you and I want to keep you safe, let's keep this to ourselves and in this house…okay?"

Though he could see the wheels churning in both of their eyes, Tom smiled as they both nodded to their mother. Just as he did, they put it to the side for now but he knew as they grew older, they would find a way to change that little bit of injustice. They weren't any better at allowing prejudice or hatred to continue to fester any more than their mother and father were. Settling in to talk to them about all he had learned over the years of being a Parseltongue, Tom held Hermione against him and once again felt like the king of the world.


	46. Chapter 46-Platform 9 and three-quarters

**Greetings!**

**So this was not planned. I had no intention of writing at all. Then I had one little snippet come to mind so I jotted it down for later and then somehow ended up with the next chapter...whatever muse whatever. So here you go!**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Once again he was standing here on this platform watching as little children wandered around yelling in excited voices, because you could not call that talking with a straight face. Their parents were all trying to make sure they had everything they needed before putting them on the train while keeping an eye on the insanity ensuing. He had his arm around his baby girl who was holding him so tightly he was worried he might not be able to feel his insides soon. Her mother and twin brother were kneeling in front of their trunks double checking everything one last time.

The owl in the cage next to Avery, or Ave as they all started to call her when around he names sake, hooted a few times as Harry and Chara, who he had been smart enough to marry, walked over to them with their son Maddix in tow. As with most of Hermione's friends, their little one would not be heading off to Hogwarts for another year or two but they had wanted to come and see Rhydian and Ave off. Tom was pretty sure Avery and Angel would be by soon as well. Their daughter Mireille was a bit enamored with Rhydian and Tom was starting to think that he may be her destined mate…or at least she thought he was. Considering Rhy's looks, his cocky smile, and his charm…many young girls had already fallen in what they believed to be love.

He felt Ave's arms loosen slightly as Maddix leaned into her, a stack of Famous Witches and Wizards cards in his hand…Tom's being on the very top. As she was drawn into another conversation about some of the new ones he had collected, she released Tom completely and moved over to sit on a bench, as close to the boy as possible. That was another reason he was happy they were headed to Hogwarts. Not that he didn't approve of Maddix Potter or his parents but he wanted his little girl to meet and get to know as many of the eligible boys as possible and make an informed decision on her future partner with her eyes wide open. That wasn't possible when she was only surrounded by the same boys growing up.

Of course Hermione always laughed and said that Ave and Maddix were more like sister and brother the same way her and Harry were but he wasn't so sure. He had a hard time believing any boy would want to only be a friend or 'brother' to his daughter. Hermione also always had a sparkle to her eye like she knew something he did not and it drove him slightly batty. However, as he watched them he couldn't help but notice that neither of them blushed or gave off any shy vibes when they met each other's eyes. They really did not have any aura of interest around them…they just sat way to close for his comfort at times.

The train gave the first warning whistle and Hermione closed up the trunks, stood with Rhydian's help as her balance was compromised by the extra weight she had put on while carrying their third child, and looked back and up at him with a glowing smile. He knew today was going to be hardest for her. Even though she had finished her masteries when the twins had started their pre-Hogwarts education and had worked with him part of the day, she spent the majority of her time with her precious babies and having an empty house was going to be too quiet for her. Thankfully she only had a month to go before the newest Riddle was to arrive. Tom just hoped there wasn't another surprise hidden inside…he wasn't sure his nerves could take it.

As it was he had been furious at first when she had told him she wanted another baby. He had flat out told her no and had stalked away fuming. He had thought that was the end of the conversation until he had come home the next day and she refused to speak to him. It was the first time since he had been given the original journal that she refused to talk to him at all. He realized after a few days of pulling his hair out trying to make it better that he had broken his promise to her. By not at least discussing it with her and explaining his fears and why he didn't want more children, he had inadvertently become that dictator persona and hurt her. A ragged apology and tears on both their parts a few hours later had ended the silence.

After giving all of his reasons and being reminded that his fear had been unfounded and that she was perfectly safe and healthy enough to bear more 'spawn' he had conceded, as long as she agreed to a live in mediwitch while she was pregnant and no more potion to help with fertility. He wanted it to be natural and no more of this surprise twin stuff. They had started trying after that and it had taken almost two years to conceive. They were keeping the gender of the baby a surprise because Hermione had wanted to this time but they had names chosen at least.

If it was another boy they were going to stick with the Welsh names as it seemed Hermione had a love of them. It didn't hurt that the one she had chosen this time around made him grin from ear to ear and warmed his darker side. Emrick Brenin Riddle…which meant Immortal King…stroked a part of him that he kept hidden well and he loved her all the more because she knew it would. Though he loved his baby girl…he admitted he was hoping for a boy this time.

If it was a girl they were going to go with Ereyal Nisha. The name was a combination of letters from people she had loved in her original time line that she had not had a chance to meet in this one. He could see the slight pain in her eyes as she had talked to him about them and he had been more than happy to honor them in such a way just as she had been when naming Avery. He knew in the end if the baby was a boy…he would be giving her another one in hopes of a girl next so her friends could be honored in this lifetime as well.

He pulled his mind back to the current moment as another arm slid around his waist and he looked down to his smiling granddaughter. Her long black hair was now woven with the Malfoy platinum blonde hair that happened during their wedding ceremonies. Her dark eyes were alive with warmth and mischief and as he looked over her head he saw Draco coming with their twins in tow, both whining about not being able to do who knew what this time.

"I see you are once again punishing your husband by leaving him to deal with the Malfoy genes alone. What did he do this time to warrant such a mean disposition my sweet Noira?"

Her grin turned almost devilish as she pushed up to her toes to kiss him lightly on the cheek before answering.

"He did absolutely nothing at all Grandfather. I just felt the need to remind him of how very lucky he is to have married so well. I find if I give him reminders ahead of time, he never slips and forgets flowers or jewelry or our anniversary. It helps that Iris and Ivy know exactly why I do it and what to do and how far to push him before they go back to his sweet little petals."

Tom chuckled as he shook his head, pulling his arm from around her as his two great-granddaughters spotted him and ran across the platform and into his arms. He gave them each a gentle hug and a kiss to their brows before standing to shake Draco's hand. The young Malfoy return his hand shake and then ran his hand through his hair, a sheepish but loving grin on his face as he took in his daughters tackling Rhydian from behind. Watching as his family walked over to wish Rhy and Avery luck and talk to them, his heart ached a little knowing he would not get to see Noira's other half this time either.

Thorn he knew would not be attending today. He and his wife were in Romania tracking down a pack that was without an Alpha. On their wedding night, Thorn had come to a decision that no one in their family would have ever tried to take from him. After the wedding and their night together, he had informed all of them that he would be allowing Tempest to bite him on the coming full moon. He hated not sharing that time with her and refused to spend another month without a wolf of his own to run with its mate. It had taken several years for Tempest to teach him how to be one with his wolf but once he learned, he had risen to Alpha status quickly.

Due to that, he and Tempest had left Remus' pack and started looking for other packs that needed guidance and protection. So far they had found several small cells of werewolves scattered about and had formed a solid pack structure out of them. The Prince pack now resided in Scotland while the Lupin pack made their home in the wilds of the English countryside. Tom and Hermione had taken the twins to many of the pack's get together festivals and he was amazed to see how very different the people lived when they were not hunted down for being 'animals'.

Due to all of this his grandson had yet to give them more children to spoil but he knew it was only a matter of time. He also rarely got to see him as they were very busy trying to save as many of their brethren as possible. Where Noira had learned to be the society wife and stood next to Draco as his confidant and partner as he headed towards being the next Minister of magic, Thorn had taken a more hands on approach and gone into the dirt and the dark to pull out those suffering with blood and sweat and tears. Neither side was without merit nor flaws; both were equally needed for the world to continue on its plotted course. He could not have been prouder of either of his grandchildren and looked forward to seeing what they continued to accomplish in years to come.

As the second warning whistle blew, children started to board the train, their anticipation running high and their magic like a live wire in the air. Tom closed his eyes and allowed the energy to wash over and through him. He wasn't sure if it was his connection to one of the founders or something else but he had always been able to feel the new magic of the children the same way Severus could as Headmaster. A burst of fae magic hit him just as he opened his eyes and watched Rhydian stumble as the little half-fae threw herself into his arms.

Her eyes were sapphires that looked almost like they were shimmering in the sun. Her tears had a magical sparkle to them as they ran rivers down her cheeks and her sobs were almost musical as she clung to him as if the very day would end if she let him go. Her words were only for Rhydian's ears and he held her gently as she cried her heart out on his polo shirt. Avery came to stand next to him with a shake of his head, his heart in his eyes as he watched his little girl fall apart.

"I have been trying to tell her for weeks that he is just going off to school and she will be going next year. Angel had been trying to explain that just because she wants him to be her mate that she is too young to be able to tell but Merlin she is as stubborn as you were at that age. Will not listen to a single thing either of us says when it comes to Rhydian and believes by allowing him to go off to school we are killing her chance to have him."

Watching as Rhydian bent his head so he could talk in her ear, Avery ran his hand down his face just as his tiny, ethereal wife leaned into his side.

"Allowing…like we have some say so in what happens with your son. I have tried to explain that fae law does not apply to Rhydian in any way but thanks to my mother and father…she has become impossible to talk to. I am considering sending her to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic instead just to keep her separated from Rhydian until she comes of age and her fae blood proves her right or wrong about him. I refuse to let my idiot parents and their fae ideals turn my daughter into a stalker at ten!"

Magic sparked along Angel's hair and eye lashes as she talked and Tom wondered if they needed to start having conversations with the fae nation as well. The fae were the one magical being that did not openly bother to talk or come to any of the conferences held at the Ministry for equal living rights and discussions. They were such a secretive race that had it not been for Angel marrying Avery, they would still know next to nothing about them.

"You know that I adore Mireille and I do not wish to see her so upset or hurt but I also cannot condone her behavior if it affects Rhydian's school work or his ability to date, have friends, and enjoy his years at Hogwarts. I will leave it to your discretion my friend as I respect your choices and believe you will do what you think to be right for both your daughter and my son."

Avery bowed his head in acknowledgement of the respect he was given to have such a decision and both parents moved forward to take their now calming daughter in their arms so that Rhydian could board the train. Tom followed so he could give his children one last hug before they left.

"You promise Rhy?"

The sweet voice caused almost everyone who heard it to sigh. Mireille had yet to gain control of her natural fae abilities and one was to cause admiration in those who heard her voice…even in ones like Tom.

"I promise on my magic Mirei…I will have fun and date and make friends but I will not commit to one single person until you come of age and your magic gives you the answer you are seeking. I would never hurt you like that."

Though he didn't like that his son had given such a solemn oath, he knew just as he kept his promises…so would Rhydian. The words seem to be just what the little fae needed as her frown and worry disappeared and she gave him a beaming smile that caused everyone around her to smile as well. Avery and Angel led their daughter away before the crowd could be too affected by her very presence. Stepping in to the vacant spot, Tom wrapped his arms around his son and put his head down on Rhydian's.

"That was very courageous and kind of you son but do be sparing on how often you throw around promises on your magic okay? I don't want to see you end up a squib because you made a promise in the future that was impossible to keep."

The chuckle still had the childish tone to it and Tom couldn't wait to see if his son came of age and ended up with a voice more like his or not.

"I don't plan to make any more promises on my magic at all. If it had been anyone else I would not have bothered. With Mireille, I know her fae half is strong enough that when she comes of age she will know if I am her mate or not. If I'm not then she will move on and neither of us was hurt in the process. If I am…why would I want anyone else when I have seen how devoted and loving a fae is to their mate? I envy Avery for what he has with Angel just like I envy what you have with mom. I want that kind of all encompassing, unwavering loyalty and love so it really isn't any hardship to give Mirei peace of mind while we wait."

Holding Rhydian a little tighter, Tom takes a moment to catch his breath before he speaks again.

"One way or another baby boy…you will find that kind of love. Your mother and I will allow nothing less. And you know the very universe does as I say."

Rhydian's laugh warmed his heart and as he nodded and went into Hermione's arms, Tom pulled Avery in close and held her just as tight as she held him.

"We will make you proud Father."

Pulling back he looked down at her with a smile.

"Of that I have no doubt my little dove. Now get going before the train leaves you here because you know your mother isn't going to argue with having you at home and home schooled."

Her smile was one they shared often and with a Slytherin smirk she pulled her brother from Hermione's arms, yelled bye one more time, and got them both on the train just as the tears started to fall from his wife's lovely eyes. Wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, he rested his lips against her brow as they watched the last children board and the train pull away towards the beginning of a new chapter in their children's lives.


	47. Chapter 47-One Last Journal

**Greetings and Salutations!**

**Well...the day is finally here. I admit to putting this off all week because I knew once I posted it...that was it. I also admit that today my Hufflepuff has overridden all other houses inside my head and body. I am a blubbering mess as I post the last chapter on what has become my favorite story. **

**I want to thank my Coven for all their support and love through the process. I met all of you while writing 'Storm' and 'Secret' and I have been so blessed to have you witches in my life now! Thank you to Moon for asking me to write this as her birthday present. This story has allowed me to write Tom the way I have always wanted to read him on fanfiction and she was the catalyst that started it all.**

**A special thank you to all of you who have stuck by me while I updated and gave me so much encouragement and love through reviews and PM's as I have gone through the process. Whether I ever write my own OC book or just continue to write fanfiction, I thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart for making this such a wonderful experience for me. **

**Without further ado...here is the final chapter for my beloved Tomione. I hope you all enjoy it. I normally tell my Coven to bring a fan...today I say...have some tissue cause I cried writing the whole thing...**

**Always**

**~Tempest**

* * *

Walking through the halls of his manor, Tom stopped to gaze out one of the long windows to the back garden. Though he had never taken the time to tend it himself, he recalled many escapades into the wild blooms and the many nights he made love to Hermione surrounded by the gentle smell of jasmine and roses. It was where his sons and one of his daughters had first learned to fly a broom and where they practiced during the summer months to be ready for Quidditch the next year. It was also where every one of his children had asked for the hand of their spouse or been asked for their hand. If the flowers could talk…oh the stories they could tell.

Gripping the book sized journal in his hand, Tom continued down the hall until he reached his study. Opening the door once more he took his time setting up the writing desk near the window in here. The light from outside was bright but with the cloud cover not overly so and he wanted the fresh air as he recorded what he had to say today. Sitting down he opened a bottle of his finest brandy, set the journal down and open to the first page. With his magic he charmed the quill to begin writing everything he said.

His mind drifting back over his life he couldn't help but smile as he thought about all the wonderful moments he had been blessed with. After his oldest had gone off to begin their Hogwarts days, his third child had been born. Emrick Brenin Riddle had come into the world loud and riotous and had never changed. While Rhydian had been placed in Ravenclaw, after being a full ten minute hat stall, and Avery had been placed in Slytherin before the hat could fully touch her head…his youngest son had run head long into chaos, laughter, and Gryffindor as if he were possessed by Godric himself.

His fourth and last child, the angel whose heart was ever so much bigger than her body, Ereyal Nisha Riddle, had been his secret favorite of all his children. Where Rhydian was his eldest and his pride, Avery his most cunning and ambitious, and Emrick his most brave and foolish…Ereyal had been his little love. Like her mother she had been unable to do anything but love him and everyone around her. Unlike her Gryffindor mother, she had loved unconditionally and without temper. Hermione was known for bossing around or scolding those she cared about when they did dumb things. Ereyal had never once raised her voice to anyone and always had a hug or a smile ready when you needed it. It was no surprise to him at all when she was sorted into Hufflepuff though he had been surprised that each of his children, heirs of Salazar Slytherin, ended up being in all four different houses.

Of course seeing where their lives had led them, he now understood what destiny had in store when everything finally played out and he had been bursting with pride to see the bloodline that had almost torn the magical world asunder was the one to fix the cracks and cuts and mend the rifts prejudice and hate had caused.

Rhydian had spent several years getting multiple masteries like his mother and had returned from Europe to apply for a teaching position at Hogwarts. He had been hired on as the new Transmutation Professor and had been made the Head of House for Ravenclaw after his first five years. He had happily married little Mireille Avery the moment he returned and they met again after years of being apart. As promised her mother and father had sent her to France for schooling to ensure she had space from Rhy while she grew. But the moment they had been in the same room he saw what Angel meant by fae just knew. It seemed the mate of the fae did as well, as with Avery, Rhydian had stumbled across the room in a daze, pulled Mireille in his arms and kissed her as if his life had depended on it.

Mireille had applied and gotten the charms position and a year later they had given Tom and Hermione their first official Riddle grandchild. Of course he had had to reassure Noira and Thorn that they were not being replaced now that his own blood children were having children and it had made his heart warm to know they loved him enough to not want to lose his affections. He had always been amazed that he went from not understanding or ever feeling love to having more people to love than he would have ever been able to imagine.

Avery followed her twin every step of the way. She left with him to pursue several masteries as well and had applied to Hogwarts at the same time. Severus took her on as the Arithmacy Professor and promoted her to Head of Slytherin House the same year as Rhy was given Ravenclaw. What caught him off guard was when Draco's younger brother Scorpius had come to ask him for his permission to court Avery. At first he had been thrown at the idea of an older wizard courting his little girl…until Hermione had reminded him of his birth year compared to hers. Taking in to account all of the benefits of marrying a Malfoy, Tom had been unable to find fault with the union and had grudgingly given his consent.

He found out later that night that Avery had been infatuated with and then had fallen in love with Scorpious by the time she had turned fifteen and he had been just as enamored with her for just as long though he had been ever the gentleman in waiting until she came of age to court her. Thinking back it dawned on him that sparkle in Hermione's eye over Avery and Maddix had been because she knew that Avery already had chosen her future…he had just not been privy to it being the over protective father.

Emrick had followed his older siblings eleven years later into two masteries and had taken on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position at the school. Unlike his siblings, he had not married any of the children in their little group but had brought home a beautiful Italian witch, Carabella Lescanzi, who he had married the first year of his apprenticeship. By the time he returned home with his new wife in tow, they also had a two year old son and another child on the way. As he had expected…his Gryffindor son had taken life by the horns and wrestled it into what he wanted it to be. At his appointment to Professor, Severus had seen the same signs that Tom had started to see and had made Emrick the Head of Gryffindor immediately.

All of them had waited with baited breath as Ereyal had completed her Care of Magical Creatures training and her mastery with Neville for Herbology. She started at Hogwarts a year after Emrick and was given the Head of Hufflepuff position on top of being the Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Unlike the rest of his children, Ereyal was too into her creatures and studying and saving as many as she could that she did not marry young. During her tenth year at Hogwarts the school held a Magical Creatures carnival and many exotic creatures were brought in for the children to study and observe. Ereyal met her husband, Traian Weasley, son of Charlie Weasley, when he had brought in some dragon wyrmlings to be viewed. Their love of the magical beasts had turned to long talks over the telephone or by email, both of which had been manufactured to work in the wizarding world by Maddix Potter, and the occasional international port key for a date.

The two had married in a quiet ceremony and though it was very unorthodox, both had agreed to continue with their work. Traian had returned to Romania to work on the Dragon reserve and Ereyal had stayed at Hogwarts to continue to educate young minds on her magical finds. Their daughter was born five years later and spent most of her time with her mother at Hogwarts and both mother and daughter would go to Romania every summer to stay. Many an article were written about the oddity of the relationship but in the end…it had made his baby girl happy and that was all he cared about…even if it meant having a Weasley in the family.

Thinking on his family now, he could honestly say he had never dreamed of having a legacy as large as he now had when he had first stepped foot inside Hogwarts and made his original plan to take over the wizarding world. Now as he let his eyes roam the walls that were covered in picture after picture of his extended family, he couldn't help but thank the gods once more for taking a Gryffindor with the heart of a Hufflepuff and the mind of a Ravenclaw and putting her directly in the path of the heir of Slytherin. His little lion had taken his entire world and remade it for him with just four simple and yet complex words…I love you Tom.

Focusing his mind back to the task at hand, he began to dictate to the quill knowing his family would be here soon to celebrate his two hundred and third birthday. He wanted to make sure his present to all of them was done by the time they all arrived as well. Severus was the only one of his children to know his entire life story and he wanted to be able to share his fortune and luck with them all before the end of his time here on Earth. He could feel it drawing closer and unlike his youthful self…he was ready.

* * *

Severus apparated into the foyer of Riddle Manor and after giving his cloak to Mimsy he stalked down the hall at his usual slightly slower billowing pace. Though he had taken to wearing muggle jeans and sweaters under his teaching robes, he still enjoyed the feel of tugging caused when he walked in his wizarding robes and always stayed dressed like the Headmaster to keep his great nieces and nephews on their toes.

There was a lot to finish getting ready for the party tonight as there were several hundred guests that would be attending but he wanted to check on his father to make sure he didn't need anything before he got started giving the staff and elves their marching orders.

Opening the door to his study with a gentle knock, Severus took in the mahogany walls and furniture. Tom always did enjoy the feel of old Victorian wood paneling and furniture and though the house had changed over the years to reflect Hermione's whims, this room had not changed or aged a day since he had sat in here and began to learn from Tom about the Dark Arts and how to become the strongest wizard he could be. Unlike all those years ago however, Tom was not sitting in his usual reading chair by the fire but was leaned back in one of his office chairs in front of the writing desk. A quill lay sideways on an open journal and as the light streamed in Severus realized the silence was deafening.

Walking quickly now for his age he came around to stand in front of his mentor and the only man he could have ever called a father and froze. Though his head was tilted to the side and resting on the back of the chair and his eyes were closed with a peaceful barely there smile on his face…Severus knew that he wasn't sleeping. Kneeling down he took one of Tom's hands in his, his eyes filling with tears as he brought it up and laid his cheek against the soft skin.

Age had been kind to Tom Riddle and even at two hundred and three the wizard did not look a day over sixty and was just as handsome in his older age as he had been as a young man. Everyone had attributed it to having used the potion in the Philosopher's stone and like Flamel he had continue to age slowly on a physical level even after he stopped using it. It had been some years since strangers had started to ask if Severus was Tom's father as he had aged normally for a wizard. He had even wondered if he would go before Tom did and he knew it had been one of Tom's greatest fears…to still be around as his children started to pass on. In this…Severus was glad to see that fear had not been realized.

Turning his head he pulled the journal down and realized it was almost completely filled with Tom's neat cursive writing. Letting his eyes read over the final passage he realized one thing…Tom knew this day was upon him.

_As I sit here and let my final words pour from the quill to the paper of this journal, I have no fear or regret. I have lived a long and joy filled life. I have loved and been loved by my beautiful wife, my amazing children, and my loyal and respected friends. I could not have asked for anything more than maybe a few more years with my wife before she moved on. As I bring this story to a close my eyes are not on the journal but stare into a pair of glowing black eyes. A very old friend, one only a handful of people have ever met and lived to tell the tale of, is here to take me to my beloved personally. I have been waiting to see his face for the past fifty years…the same amount of time the stone gave me to stay young and wait for my beloved in the first place. I always knew there would be payment for those extra years and now I have finally paid it. Tonight, though I leave my family behind, I go forth to the loving arms of my wife and the eternity she gave me by saving my very soul from the darkness. If I have learned one thing in all my years on this Earth it is this…there is no greater power in the world then the power of love…be open to it and it will fill you until you are overflowing._

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_

Closing the journal and setting it back on the desk, he took a moment to focus and cast his patronus. As he sent the raven winging through the air to inform Avery of what had transpired, he let his own tears of grief begin to fall. Being mated to a fae, Avery was now immortal until he and his wife decided to move on together. As Tom's oldest and most trusted friend, Severus knew Avery would not only take care of the party guests who were not family, he would gather the family together and get them all here as quickly as possible. Calling for Mimsy, Severus began to get Tom ready to receive his family…not for his birthday but for the celebration of his life as they sent him beyond to his eternal rest.

Standing he noticed an envelope addressed to him on the desk. Picking it up he turned it over and broke the Riddle seal to pull out a thick piece of parchment. As he unfolded the letter and saw the signatures of not only his father but Hermione, Avery, and the family lawyer on the bottom his heart pounded in his chest.

_Severus,_

_I know even now there have been times where you have worried about your place in our lives and in my heart. As I told you all those years ago…you are my son. I have watched you grow and learn, love and marry, have children of your own and become everything I knew you could be. And I can tell you this…no father has ever loved his son more or been more proud._

_As you know the estates have been divided for quite some time among your brothers and sisters, the grandchildren and great grandchildren. Nothing in that has change. As my heir and oldest living son the main Riddle estate is still yours and will be yours to pass down to Thorn when you pass or Noira if you decide to drive your boy up a wall. It's okay to laugh Severus…I did when I wrote it. _

_I wanted you to know that the forest and land behind the manor is all part of that estate and in the past ten years I have made sure there were plenty of small huts and homes built in the forest for the pack. I know that you always assumed I would give this estate to Rhydian and you were always wrong. He knew from day one that though he may have been flesh of my flesh…you were my heir. And now your son as your heir will have a safe place for his pack to live so he can be closer to his family._

_I leave the family in your capable hands my boy and know that I have no doubt at all in that decision. You and your brothers and sisters…you five were the very best parts of me made whole. I will miss you all dearly but I admit I am more than ready to meet my maker and hold my sweet dove in my arms again. Death tells me I will see you again fairly soon so have your affairs in order. I look forward to our talks once again when you join me but until then my son know that I love you with every piece of my heart._

_Your father,_

_Tom_

_PS-Ask Angel if she will consider an end to their immortality at some point…I am going to dearly miss my brother and friend and would prefer not to spend eternity without him._

* * *

Tom opened his eyes to bright light streaming through the trees. The sound of birds filled his ears as the smell of pine brought back so many memories he had to close his eyes. Pushing himself to a sitting potion he looked around. He was in a clearing in a very familiar area. His body no longer ached from age and as he looked at his hands, his youthful skin made him grin.

The sound of a door opening brought his attention back up and as his eyes locked onto the honey brown eyes of his wife, the ache that had resided in his heart since her passing eased and his chest exploded with joy and love. Scrambling to his feet he took in her beautiful face and that smile she always reserved for him. She was once again the young girl he had met in the journal and as he started to move towards her he realized he was the young man she had fallen in love with.

She met him halfway and as he lifted her into his arms and spun her around her laughter was sweeter than any song an angel could have sung. Setting her on her feet, he wrapped his hands in her hair as he kissed her soft lips, tangling his tongue with hers and reacquainting himself with her taste. She was like honey on his tongue and he moaned as he sank into her entirely. Whining as she pulled back from him, he kept his eyes locked on her…afraid she would fade if he looked away.

"Welcome home baby boy…took you long enough."

His laughter bubbled up beyond his control and pulling her against him he held her tightly as the tears fell from his eyes.

"Sorry I'm late dove…I'll never make you wait for me ever again."

Following as she led him into the log cabin that had been a dream of theirs he had never felt more complete as he did in that very moment. With the love of his life in his arms and the knowledge that his family would all be taken care of by their loved ones, he realized he never had anything to fear from Death…not since the moment he had set eyes on a sassy little Gryffindor who refused to take his crap lying down.

* * *

The ceremony was done, the funeral over and the guests had all gone home. Sitting in his father's study, Rhydian held the journal that had been one of the many things left to him by his father. He had yet to open it as his heart was bleeding for his loss. He knew being with Mireille, he would never have that afterlife reunion that kept the others comforted unless he asked his heart to give up her immortality for him…something he was not yet ready to even contemplate.

Taking a deep breath for fortitude, he opened the cover and had to wipe his eyes at the very first page.

_ To my family_

_ May love ever be your guiding light_

_ So that you never walk in the dark alone_

Turning the page, Rhydian settled back in his father's favorite reading chair as he started to read the last words his beloved father decided to write. His laugh shocked him as he read the first line and realized this was going to be a tale even he could not have made up about the man.

_Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr was not someone with whom anyone wished to fuck with. From the very beginning he was a truly creepy individual. As a baby he was never found crying or upset but was a perfectly well behaved infant. Growing up in the orphanage in his youngest years he was a complete loner, preferring his own company or that of a book over the treacherous children who lived at Wool's Orphanage with him._

_ ~FIN~_


End file.
